Pepper

Common Name: Pepper

Clinical Names: Piper nigrum, Piper longum

Summary

common name: Pepper

botanical names: Piper nigrum, Piper longum

overview of interactions:
• food/herbal constituent affecting drug performance: Theophylline

Interactions

food/herbal constituent affecting drug performance: Theophylline

• research: Black peppers contain a substance called piperine. In a human study Bano et al observed increased blood levels of theophylline in subjects given 20 mg of piperine daily for 7 days.
(Bano G, et al. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 1991;41:615-617.)

• herbal synergy: Though this interaction in a research setting may lack strong relevance to the typical dietary consumption of pepper, it could have therapeutic value. In clinical practice, the enhanced systemic availability of oral theophylline could conceivably be used to reduce doses and side effects, achieve better therapeutic control, and improve patient compliance. Further research will determine whether these potential benefits will bear out. In the meantime, individuals using theophylline should not change their dose of the medication without consulting their prescribing physician.

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Do not rely solely on the information in this article.

The information presented in Interactions is for informational and educational purposes only. It is based on scientific studies (human, animal, or in vitro), clinical experience, case reports, and/or traditional usage with sources as cited in each topic. The results reported may not necessarily occur in all individuals and different individuals with the same medical conditions with the same symptoms will often require differing treatments. For many of the conditions discussed, treatment with conventional medical therapies, including prescription drugs or over-the-counter medications, is also available. Consult your physician, an appropriately trained healthcare practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health concern or medical problem before using any herbal products or nutritional supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications and/or before attempting to independently treat a medical condition using supplements, herbs, remedies, or other forms of self-care.


References

Bano G, Raina RK, Zutshi U, Bedi KL, Johri RK, Sharma SC. Effect of piperine on bioavailability and pharmocokinetics of propranolol and theophylline in healthy volunteers. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 1991;41(6):615-617.
Abstract: The effect of piperine on the bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of propranolol and theophylline has been examined in a crossover study. Six subjects in each group received a single oral dose of propranolol 40 mg or theophylline (150 mg) alone or in combination with piperine 20 mg daily for 7 days. An earlier tmax and a higher Cmax and AUC were observed in the subjects who received piperine and propranolol. It produced a higher Cmax, longer elimination half-life and a higher AUC with theophylline. In clinical practice, the enhanced systemic availability of oral propranolol and theophylline could be exploited to achieve better therapeutic control and improved patient compliance.