It’s an open secret that spices and herbs are magical healers for most of human health problems. They may appear simple and unassuming but these small packages are oozing with nutrition. Traditional medicines have always used herbs and spices against various ailments but modern pharmacology has also begun to appreciate them today for the same reason.
Black pepper is one such spice which is gaining popularity as a potential fighter against cancer, deficiencies and now memory loss. Scientists at Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan, have recently published their study highlighting the benefits of black pepper in enhancing memory in mouse model. According to Dr. Ghazala Iqbal et al.’s research, black pepper combats the ill effects of neurotoxic agents like Aluminum Chloride (AlCl3) which cause oxidative stress and damage the memorizing ability. The compound primarily beneficial in black pepper is chavicine. Chavicine is actually the pure compound which produces the pharmacological effects of black pepper and improves memory.
Their research paper, “Memory Enhancing Effect of Black Pepper in the AlCl3-Induced Neurotoxicity Mouse Model is Mediated Through its Active Component Chavicine“, is published online, ahead of print, in the research journal, Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology.