They are perennial climbing vines, which belongs to the family of piperaceae, and wildly exploited. They originated in West Africa. The leaves are alternate, oval and acuminate with covering vines.
The fruits are globose without peduncles, red when ripe, and turning black when dried with a single seed that varies in colour. The active principle is chavine piperine.
U S E S
The seed has a great deal of essential, used by the perfuming and cosmetics industries as a fragrance, but it is mostly used as a spice / seasoning dishes, and barbecue. It has a very pleasant scent. The crop is also widely used for medicinal purposes.
1. The seed is used as an appetizer (stomachic), for treating cold, Rheumatism and stomach trouble (indigestion).
The leaves serves as spinach and the roots powered is used to treat various venereal diseases –sexually transmitted diseases.