DOI: https://doi.org/10.55373/mjchem.v24i4.201

Keywords: Piperaceae, Piper amalago, phytochemistry, essential oil, amide

Abstract

Piper amalago L. (Piperaceae) is widely distributed in Central and South America. It is commonly used in folk medicine as a diuretic and for the treatment of urinary calculus disease. This review highlights the findings of previously published studies on the botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, and biological activities of P. amalago. The scientific information used for this review were obtained from various electronic databases including Science Direct, PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science. Amides represent the major chemical compounds that have been characterised in P. amalago. The essential oils, extracts, and isolated compounds of P. amalago were shown to possess antioxidant, insecticidal, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antileishmanial, cytotoxicity, acaricidal, anxiolytic, antilithiatic, antihyperalgesic, antinociceptive, antiarthritic, diuretic, wound healing, schistosomicidal, brine shrimp, cysteine protease, as well as neurobehavioral and toxicological activities. The outcomes of this review provide further support for the therapeutic potential of the genus Piper. Also, further research on the structure-activity relationship of some of the isolated phytochemicals may improve their biological potency and scientific exploitation of traditional uses of the Piper taxa.