Black Pepper Fruit

Primarily produced in the areas of Southeast Asia, and the Chinese provinces of Guangxi, Yunnan, Hainan.

Black hu jiao: Nearly mature berries harvested from the pepper vine. Fruit is sub-spherical, 3~6mm diameter. Externally dark brown to grayish-black, with raised net-like wrinkles, apex has tiny remnants of the style, base has scar of fallen fruit stem. Hard texture, outer fruit skin can be peeled off, inner fruit skin is grayish-white or pale yellow; fractured surface is yellowish-white, powdery, center has small gap. Aromatic odor; acrid and spicy taste. White hu jiao: seeds after the fruit skin is peeled off. Kernel is sub-spherical, 3~6mm diameter. Outermost layer is inner fruit skin, externally grayish-white, smooth, numerous light-colored lines form a pattern between the apex and base.

Superior medicinal material is large, full, black, wrinkled with intense aroma and taste.

Acrid; hot.

Promotes the stomach, digest food, warms the center, disperses cold, stops pain; Apply to deficiency cold of spleen and stomach, vomiting, diarrhea.