Tags: Chemical Compound, Chemical Substance.
Piperine along with its isomer chavicine is the alkaloid responsible for the pungency of black pepper and long pepper. It has also been used in some forms of traditional medicine and as an insecticide. Piperine forms monoclinic needles is slightly soluble in water (40 mg/L or 1g/25L (18°C)) and more so in alcohol (1g/15mL) ether (1g/36mL) or chloroform (1g/1.7mL): the solution in alcohol has a pepper-like taste. It yields salts only with strong acids.
