Gold Pepper

Family Piperaceae (Pepper Family); Pipereae Tribe Forms and Subspecies It is possible that there are varieties, forms, or subspecies that may be distinguished on the basis of their leaves. However, the taxonomy of the neotropical Piper species is quite confusing. Synonyms Piper auritum Kunth Piper umbellatum 1. Piper sanctum (Miq.) Schl. may also be a synonym; Martinez 1987 (page 1188) lists practically the same Mexican names for the two species. Folk Names Acoyo, acuya, acuyo, aguiyu, alahan, bakanil a iits' (Huastec), cordoncillo, cordoncillo blanco, corriemineto, coyoquelite, gold pepper, goldpfeffer, hierba anis ("anise herb"), hierba de Santa Maria (Spanish, "the herb of Saint Mary),279 hierba santa, hinojo sabalero, ho'ben (Lacandon, "the herb of the five"), hoja de anis, hoja de cancer, hoja santa (Mexico, "sacred leaf"), homequelite, ixmaculan, jaco, jinan (Totonac), maculan, ma'haw, ma'j60, mak'ulan, mecax6chitl (Nahuatl), momo, mumun, mumun te' (Tzeltal), omequelite, omequilit-dos quelite, Santa Maria,2so tlampa, tlanepa, tlanepaquelite, tlanipa, totzoay, tzon tzko ntko, wo, woo, xalcuahuitl, xmaculan (Mayan/ Quintana Roo), x-mak-ulam, xmak'ulan, x'obel (Mayan/San Antonio [Belize]), yerba santa History Gold pepper is an ancient traditional Mayan remedy that was mentioned as a medicinal plant in the few sources from the colonial period (e.g., the Motul dictionary and the Relaci6n de las casas de Yucatan) (Roys 1976, 263*). In contemporary Mexico, the primary use of the plant is as a seasoning; fish and other seafood are wrapped in the large, aromatic leaves and braised (Bye and Lianres 1983,6*; Cioro 1982, 143*). In Panama, the leaves were or still are used to catch fish. Apparently, their scent attracts a food fish known as sabala pipwu (Gupta et al. 1985). In Brazil, the leaves were used in the industrial production of raw safrole for the international market (Rob Montgomery, pers. comm.). Distribution Gold pepper is found from Mexico through Central America and into South America. It is very common among the tropical flora of Mexico (Chiapas), Belize, Panama, and Brazil and has been carried into other tropical areas. Cultivation The plant is most easily propagated through cuttings (approximately 15 to 20 cm long) taken from the lower stems. In tropical areas, it can very easily go wild and can displace other pepper plants (e.g., Piper methysticum), thereby causing some ecological damage (e.g., in Hawaii). Appearance This evergreen perennial bush, which can grow to a height of 4 to 5 meters, develops branched green stems that do not lignify on their lower ends until quite late. The leaves are opposite, oval, and tapered at the end and project straight out from the stem or droop slightly. The green-white, very thin inflorescences extend straight up and can attain a length of more than 10 cm. Gold pepper is easily confused with the very similar species Piper sanctum (possibly a synonym), which is also known as haja santa and is also rich in safrole (Martinez 1994, 185*). However, Piper sanctum grows to a height of only 1.5 meters and does not occur in the southeastern lowlands (Argueta et al. 1994,813*). The closely related and similar, but generally smaller, species Piper amalaga 1. (see Piper spp.) also contains safrole and is used ethnobotanically in very similar ways (Arvigo and Balick 1994, 64 f. *). Some Maya regard this species as the "female" counterpart of the «male" gold pepper. Gold pepper is almost identical in appearance to Piper methysticum; most laymen can distinguish the two species only by the scent of the leaves. Psychoactive Material - Fresh leaves - Dried leaves - Essential oil Preparation and Dosage Shade-dried leaves may be smoked by themselves or in combination with other herbs (see smoking blends). Fresh leaves are added to alcohol (aguardiente =sugarcane alcohol, mescal; see Agave spp.) (Argueta et al. 1994,49*). The essential oil, which is easily obtained through steam distillation (Gupta et al. 1985), is suitable as a precursor for the synthesis of amphetamine derivatives (e.g., MDMA; cf. herbal ecstasy). An orally administered dose of 9 g/kg of plant extract did not have any lethal effects upon rats. When administered via Injection, the LDso is calculated as 2g/kg (Argueta et al. 1994,50*).

Ritual Use Today in Belize, the large leaves are smoked, most likely as a marijuana substitute (cf. Cannabis indica) and for hedonistic purposes. To date, we know of no traditional rituals in which gold pepper has been used for its psychoactive properties. The natives of the West Indies (or Mexico) are said to have once used Piper plantagineum Schlecht., a species found throughout the Caribbean region, as a narcotic in a manner similar to the way kavakava (Piper methysticum) is used. It is possible that this species is synonymous with Piper auritum. Unfortunately, almost nothing is known about it. Artifacts None Medicinal Use In Belize (San Antonio, Cayo District), the large, fresh leaves are heated over a wood fire and laid over painful areas of the back, especially around the small of the back. The Yucatec Maya of Quintana Roo use the leaves as a stimulant, as an analgesic, and to treat asthma, bronchitis, dyspnea, weak digestion, stomachaches, head colds, erysipelas, fever, gout, rheumatism, and wounds (Cioro 1982, 143*; Roys 1976, 263*). In Mexican folk medicine, the leaves are used for ethnogynecological purposes. A tea made from the leaves and mixed with honey is used to treat scorpion stings. Juice pressed from the leaves is ingested to relieve asthma, coughing, and bronchitis (Argueta et al. 1994,49*). The fresh leaf buds and young shoots can be eaten as mild stimulants. When eaten, a mild numbness is produced in the mouth that feels very similar to the anesthesia of the mucous membranes that is caused by Piper methysticum. Constituents The leaves contain 0.47 to 0.58% essential oil (Martinez 1994, 185*). The essential oil is also present in the stalks, although in much lower concentrations (Oscar and Poveda 1983). The essential oil has a characteristic safrole or sassafras scent and consists of up to 700/0 safrole; also present are some forty other substances, including a-thujene, a-pinene, camphene, sabinene, ~-pinene, myrcene, ~-phellandrene, carene, a-terpinene, limonene, 1,8-cineole, ')'-terpinene, ~-phellandrene, cis-sabinene hydrate, nonanon-2, r-cymenene, terpinolene, linalool, camphor, borneol, r-cymene-8-ol, bornylacetate, eugenol, Delemene, a-cubenene, muurolene, a-copaene, ~bourbonene, paraffin, ~-caryophyllene, humulene, myristicin, ~-bisabolene, elemicine, D-cadinene, cadina-1,4-dien, spathulenole, ~-caryophyllene oxide, and n-hexadecane (Gupta et al. 1985; Argueta et al. 1994, 49*). The leaves have been found to also contain the flavonoid 3'-hydroxy-4',7-dimethoxyflavone, ~sitosterol, and the diterpene trans-phytol. Various phenoles are also present in the leaves (Ampofo et al. 1987). The roots contain isoquinoline alkaloids, phenylpropenoids, and safrole (Argueta et al. 1994,49*; Hansel et al. 1975; Nair et al. 1989). Effects The pharmacological effects of the leaves are clearly the result of their high safrole content (cf. Sassafras albidum). Commercial Forms and Regulations Although the plant is not subject to any regulations, it is not available as a living plant or as dried raw plant material. Because it is a precursor for the synthesis of MDMA and closely related amphetamine derivatives, safrole is subject to registration (cf. herbal ecstasy). In some areas, trade in safrole or in preparations with a high safrole content is regulated or even prohibited. Literature See also the entries for Piper betle, Piper methysticum, Piper spp., and essential oils. Ampofo, Stephen A., Vassilios Roussis, and David F. Wiemer. 1987. New prenylated phenolics from Piper auritum. Phytochemistry 26 (8): 2367-70. Collera ZUfiiga, Ofelia. 1956. Contribuci6n al estudio del Piper auritum. Mexico City: Tesis, Facultad de Ciencias Quimicas. Gupta, Mahabir P., Tomas D. Arias, Norris H. Williams, R. Bos, and D. H. E. Tattje. 1985. Safrole, the main component of the essential oil from Piper auritum of Panama. Journal of Natural Products 48 (2): 330. Hansel, Rudolf, Anneliese Leuschke, and Arturo Gomez-Pompa. 1975. Aporthine-type alkaloids from Piper auritum. Lloydia 38:529-30. Nair, Muraleedharan G., John Sommerville, and Basil A. Burke. 1989. Phenyl propenoids from roots of Piper auritum. Phytochemistry 28 (2): 654-55. Oscar, C. C., and A. 1. J. Poveda. 1983. Piper auritum (H.B.K.), Piperaceae Family: Preliminary study of the essential oil from its leaves. Ing. Ciencias Quimicas 7 (1/2): 24-25.