Black pepper (Piper nigrum) is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit (the peppercorn), which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. Black pepper is native to the Malabar Coast of India and is one of the earliest spices known. Widely used as a spice around the world, pepper also has a limited usage in medicine as a carminative (to relieve flatulence) and as a stimulant of gastric secretions. Black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) is one of the most widely used spices, and the constituent parts of its essential oil contribute to its value. Although traditionally used as a culinary ingredient, fragrant aromatic, and medicine, it is presently used in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries.
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