Piper nigrum Extract: Dietary Supplement for Reducing Mammary Tumor Incidence and Chemotherapy-Induced Toxicity

Ameliorating Nickel-Induced Stress in Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (Silver Carp) Through Piper nigrum Extract Supplementation

The current study examined the damaging implications of nickel (Ni) toxicity on body composition, growth responses, histology and hematology of Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, as well as the potential mitigating effects of Piper nigrum extract. For this purpose, H. molitrix were distributed into six groups, namely T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, and T6. All treatments were assessed in triplicates. T1 was designated as the negative control treatment, receiving no Ni exposure or dietary supplementation, whereas T2 acted as the positive control treatment, exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of nickel chloride (NiCl2) at 3.6 mg/L. Groups T3-T6 received diets enriched with 1%, 2%, 3% and 4% P. nigrum extract, respectively and were also exposed to 3.6 mgL-1 NiCl2 toxicity. The findings of this investigation revealed that T2 exhibited decreased growth responses, characterized by a weight gain (WG) of 8.12 g, percentage weight gain (WG%) of 77.83% and specific growth rate (SGR) of 0.96. Additionally, T2 displayed altered hematological parameters such as reduced red blood cells (RBC: 1.3 × 106 mm-3) and hemoglobin levels (Hb: 5.8 g/100 ml), and increased white blood cell counts (WBC: 75.31 × 103 mm-3). Also, T2 showed reduced protein (13.14%), fat (2.15%), and moisture content (73.44%), hepatocyte degeneration, and Ni bioaccumulation in hepatic tissues. In contrast, T1 (control negative) and T3 (1% P. nigrum extract) demonstrated improved growth performance with WG of 18.49 g and 16.92 g, respectively. They also showed increased RBC (1.77 × 106 mm-3 and 2.77 × 106 mm-3) and Hb levels (9.65 g/100 ml and 8.15 g/100 ml), decreased WBC counts (6.12 × 103 mm-3 and 7.79 × 103 mm-3), and elevated protein (16.42% and 15.29%), fat (3.22% and 3.11%), and moisture content (76.92% and 76.6%), respectively. Furthermore, liver histological analysis revealed that dietary supplementation with 1% P. nigrum extract (T3) effectively minimized the adverse effects of NiCl2 toxicity, characterized by a normal central vein structure and significantly reduced histological damage. In conclusion, the results show that 1% P. nigrum extract supplementation significantly ameliorates the adverse effects on carcass composition, elevates growth responses, enhances hematological indices, and mitigates the toxic effects of Ni on the histology of H. molitrix. This comprehensive improvement in nutritional quality, growth rates, blood health, and tissue integrity suggests that P. nigrum extract has tremendous potential as a natural remedy for mitigating the adverse effects of Ni toxicity in aquatic species.

Harnessing the anticancer potential of Piper nigrum: a synergistic approach to chemotherapy enhancement and reduced side effects

Cancer therapy continues to face critical challenges, including drug resistance, recurrence, and severe side effects, which often compromise patient outcomes and quality of life. Exploring novel, cost-effective approaches, this review highlights the potential of Piper nigrum (black pepper) extract (PNE) as a complementary anticancer agent. Piper nigrum, a widely available spice with a rich history in traditional medicine, contains bioactive compounds such as piperine, which have demonstrated significant anticancer activities including cell cycle arrest, apoptosis induction, and inhibition of tumor growth and metastasis. The review evaluates the recent findings from in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies, emphasizing PNE's capacity to enhance the efficacy of conventional chemotherapeutic agents while mitigating their side effects. Key mechanisms underlying these effects include oxidative stress modulation, suppression of pro-metastatic factors, and synergistic interactions with established drugs like doxorubicin and paclitaxel. These interactions suggest that PNE could play a pivotal role in overcoming chemoresistance and improving therapeutic outcomes. Furthermore, this review highlights the potential benefits of PNE in resource-limited settings, where the cost of cancer treatments often restricts access. However, challenges such as compositional variability, limited bioavailability, and the need for standardization and clinical validation need to be addressed to advance the integration of PNE into basic oncology. By providing a comprehensive analysis of the anticancer mechanisms of PNE and its potential as a cost-effective adjuvant therapy, this review provides new insight into the exploitation of Piper nigrum to improve cancer treatment efficacy while reducing side effects. Future research directions are discussed to address current limitations and facilitate clinical translation.

Piperine: Chemistry and Biology

Piperine is a plant-derived promising piperamide candidate isolated from the black pepper (Piper nigrum L.). In the last few years, this natural botanical product and its derivatives have aroused much attention for their comprehensive biological activities, including not only medical but also agricultural bioactivities. In order to achieve sustainable development and improve survival conditions, looking for environmentally friendly pesticides with low toxicity and residue is an extremely urgent challenge. Fortunately, plant-derived pesticides are rising like a shining star, guiding us in the direction of development in pesticidal research. In the present review, the recent progress in the biological activities, mechanisms of action, and structural modifications of piperine and its derivatives from 2020 to 2023 are summarized. The structure-activity relationships were analyzed in order to pave the way for future development and utilization of piperine and its derivatives as potent drugs and pesticides for improving the local economic development.