ØStimulates functioning of liver

ØIgnites the digestive fire in stomach and thus increase metabolism of body

ØExhibites a good anti bacterial activity

ØUseful in hemorrhoids

Common Name:

Java long pepper

Sanskrit Name:

Chavya

Chavika

Chabha

Lt. Name:

Piper retrofractum – Piperaceae

Bio energetics:

Rasa (Taste) – Katu (Pungent)

Guna (Characteristics)- Laghu (Light); Ruksha (Un- unctuous)

Veerya (Potency)-  Ushna (Hot)

Vipaka (Post digestion effect)- Katu (Pungent)

Chemical composition:

Chemical composition of Chavya is similar to Maricha (Piper nigrum); but it is having piperin and the volatile oils in lesser proportion. Fruits of Chavya contain 9.5% moisture, 12.2% proteins, 4.5% piperin, 6.6% stable oils, 1.5% volatile oils, 39.5% starch, 5.8% fibres. Its stems contain piperin, piplartin, ?- sitastrol, glycosides, mucilase, glucose and fructose.

Effect on Tridosha (Three bio humors):

Chavyapacifies Kapha and Vata Doshas; so it can be used effectively in management of all disease which originate from aggravation of Kapha/ Vata or both.

Actions according to Ayurveda:

• Deepana: Chavya ignites the digestive fire in stomach and thus increase metabolism of body
  
• Yakrud- uttejak: Chavya stimulates functioning of liver .
  
• Arshahar: Chavyais useful in hemorrhoids
  
• Aruchihar:Chavya is very useful in absence of taste in mouth
  

Medicinal value:

• In a study an attempt was made to evaluate the anti microbial activity of various extracts of fruits of different piper species. Twenty eight extracts of four species viz Piper cubeba, P. Retrofractum, P. Longum and P. nigrum were evaluated against bacterial pathogens such as Staphylococcus albus, Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, E coli and Bacillus megaterium and one  fungus A. niger. Compared to Streptomycin all the extracts exhibited a good anti bacterial activity.
  
• Antibacterial activity of piper fruits; Mohib Khan and Mustafa siddiqui Department of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry; MESCO college of Pharmacy; Hyderabad – 500006 Andhra Pradesh; India.

Useful part:

Roots, fruits

Doses:

Powder : 1-2 gm 

Some combinations with Chavya:

Panchakol Powder; Panchakol Phant; Pranda Gutika; Kankayana Modak; Chavyadi Ghrut

Some important notes about Chavya:

• For management of hemorrhoids Chavya Powder should be taken with Pippali powder.