Spiked Pepper
Piper aduncum
A tropical American pepper shrub, also called matico, whose leaves are traditionally used for stomach pain and indigestion. In mice, its leaf oil protected the stomach from ulcers.
Safety at a glance
- PregnancyNothing recorded
- BreastfeedingNothing recorded
- MedicinesNothing recorded
- Who should avoid itNothing recorded
- AllergiesNothing recorded
- ToxicityNothing recorded
Tap a box to read the safety notes below. “Nothing recorded” means our sources don't cover it, not that it's safe.
What is Spiked Pepper?
- Plant family
- Piperaceae, the pepper family
- Parts used
- The leaves
- Where it grows
- The tropical Americas
- Genus
- Piper
- Species
- aduncum
Regional names
Matico, Pimenta-de-Macaco, Aperta-Ruão
Traditionally used for
- Stomach pain
- Indigestion
Traditionally described as
- Protects the stomach (in animal studies)
Natural compounds
What does the research say?
Traditional use
These are traditional uses, not proven treatments.
In traditional medicine, the leaves are commonly used to relieve stomach pain and digestive discomfort.[1]Study
Laboratory & animal research
Lab and animal results show what might be worth studying in people. They don't show that the herb has these effects in humans.
The leaf oil is mostly dillapiole. In mice, it protected the stomach lining from ulcers caused by alcohol or by the painkiller indomethacin, by up to about 91%.[1]Study
Technical detail: 50–200 mg/kg orally; dillapiole 69.65%; involves nitric oxide synthase, sulfhydryl compounds and α2-adrenergic receptors.
In short
No studies in people or safety studies were found.
Sources
- [1] Gastroprotective action of Piper aduncum L. leaf essential oil mediated by α2-adrenergic biochemical pathways, nitric oxide synthase, and sulfhydryl compounds · DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2026.121947Peer-reviewed study
This information is educational and traditional in nature, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Unfamiliar word? See what these words mean.