Pharmacognostic Investigation, Optimization of Extraction Condition and Determination of Piperine in Black Pepper Fruit

This study aimed to investigate the standardization parameters through qualitative analyses of black pepper fruit. Microscopic characteristics of the crude drug were demonstrated. The study determined various parameters including loss on drying, total ash, acid-insoluble ash, water-soluble extractives, ethanol-soluble extractives, and volatile oil content. Additionally, piperine content in ethanol extract was evaluated using Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) fingerprint analysis and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis. The optimal conditions for piperine extraction were determined through experimental design. The study provides pharmacognostic specifications towards the fundamental standardization of Piper nigrum Linn. fruit.