Molecular targets of pepper as bioavailability enhancer

Abstract

SUMMARYBlack pepper (family Piperaceae), is called king of spices because it is one of the oldest spice and alone accounts for about 35% of the world's total spice trade. The pepper is used in Ayurvedic medicine for the treatment of various ailments particularly neurological, broncho-pulmonary and gastrointestinal disorders. Pepper has also been reported to have various pharmacological actions but recently, it is highlighted as a bioavailability enhancer. This results in higher plasma concentration of drugs, nutrients, ions and other xenobiotics, rendering them more bioavailable for physiological as well as pharmacological actions in the body. Numerous scientific studies reported that piperine; a main bioactive compound of pepper, is responsible for its bioavailability enhancing property. It's a well known fact that pepper enhances bioavailability by inhibition of microsomal enzyme system but other mechanisms are also responsible to acts as a bioavailability enhancer. The brief overview of the mechanism of action of pepper as well as its applications as bioavailability enhancer is given in the present article.

Comparative antioxidant and bioavailability studies of Vitamin C in Phyllanthus emblica Linn. and its combinations with Piper nigrum Linn. and Zingiber officinale Roscoe

“…5, Table IV). This could be due to the presence of piperine which is used as a bioavailability enhancer and contributing for the increased vitamin C concentration shown by the combination A+P (Gohil, Mehta, 2009). Since piperine enhances the bioavailability of vitamin C present in amla, when used in combination, this combination may be suggested as the best source of vitamin C supplement.…”

Effect of Bioenhancers on Amoxicillin bioavailability

“…Piperine is also reported to be inhibitor of drug efflux pump one of them being PgP efflux transporter [18], thereby reducing the efflux and enhancing the availability of Amoxicillin trihydrate. Piperine at the same time inhibits a number of enzymes involved in metabolism of drugs and nutrients, thus reducing the metabolism of drugs and prolonging the drug effect [19]. Moreover it is also known to reduce the rate of glucuronidation permitting the entry of active drug substance [19].…”

“…Piperine at the same time inhibits a number of enzymes involved in metabolism of drugs and nutrients, thus reducing the metabolism of drugs and prolonging the drug effect [19]. Moreover it is also known to reduce the rate of glucuronidation permitting the entry of active drug substance [19]. Ginger is known to enhance the bioavailability by regulating the GIT function [20].…”

Intestinal absorption pathways of lisinopril: Mechanistic investigations

“…Piperine was reported to potentially inhibit intestinal efflux transporters including P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp), multidrug resistant protein2 (MRP2), and breast cancer resistant protein (BCRP) (Bi et al., 2019; Kesarwani et al., 2013; Li et al., 2011). It may exert its action via modulating intestinal membrane dynamics and permeability characteristics facilitating drug absorption through the intestinal barrier (Gohil & Mehta, 2009; Khajuria et al., 1998, 2002). Verapamil was selected due to its reported P‐gp inhibitory effect (Hunt et al., 2021; Wang & Sun, 2020).…”