Ginger (Shunthi) and Long Pepper (Pippali) in Ayurveda
Ginger (shunthi) and long pepper (pippali) in Ayurveda: how the trikatu spice trio is used, what trials show for ginger, and what is known about pippali and safety.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
In brief
Ginger (shunthi in Sanskrit, Zingiber officinale) and long pepper (pippali, Piper longum) are two warming spices that appear together in Ayurvedic practice. With black pepper they make up a classical three-spice mix called trikatu, which means "three pungents." [1] This page describes the traditional use, then separates what research has measured for each spice. It is information only, not advice about what to take. For ginger on its own see the site's ginger guide and ginger tea.Traditional use: the trikatu trio
Trikatu is described in the research literature as an Ayurvedic preparation of black pepper, long pepper and ginger, prescribed routinely for a variety of diseases as part of a multi-herb prescription. [1] A laboratory-pharmacology study describes it as dried fruits of Piper nigrum and Piper longum with dried ginger rhizome in equal parts. [2]One reason given for pairing spices this way is practical: the use of these herbs in Indian medicine has been suggested to reflect an action of boosting the bioavailability (how much reaches the blood) of other medicines in the same prescription. [1] That is a proposed explanation from a review of laboratory studies, not a proven clinical benefit.
Classical Ayurvedic texts describe each herb through traditional properties such as taste (rasa) and heating or cooling effect (virya); see how Ayurvedic herbs are classified. The sources read for this page did not give those classical descriptions, so none are quoted here.
What research shows
| Question | What the sources found | Evidence label |
|---|---|---|
| Ginger for nausea in pregnancy | A review of 12 trials (1,278 pregnant women) found ginger improved nausea more than placebo, with low-quality evidence and few studies. [3] NCCIH says research shows ginger may help. [4] | Promising but limited |
| Ginger for motion sickness | Most studies have not shown it helps. [4] | Mixed to no benefit |
| Ginger for chemotherapy or after-surgery nausea | Uncertain whether it helps as an add-on to standard treatment. [4] | Insufficient evidence |
| Ginger for period pain | Supplements might reduce the severity of cramps. [4] | Promising but limited |
| Ginger for knee osteoarthritis | Supplements might help symptoms, but much of the research is poor quality; skin-applied ginger has not been shown to help. [4] | Mixed, low quality |
| Long pepper (pippali) alone | Proper evidence not found. Searches of PubMed for human trials of Piper longum alone returned laboratory reviews and no usable clinical trials. | Preclinical / traditional use only |
| Trikatu for flu-like illness | A narrative review of 13 records concluded rigorous double-blind trials are still needed. [5] | Insufficient evidence |
Most ginger studies tested dietary supplements rather than food. [4] Results for a supplement do not automatically apply to cooking with ginger or to a classical Ayurvedic preparation.
Frequently asked questions
What is trikatu?
It is a classical Ayurvedic mix of black pepper, long pepper and ginger. [1]
Is pippali the same as black pepper?
No. They are different plants (Piper longum and Piper nigrum), though both are in trikatu. [2]
Does ginger really help nausea?
For pregnancy-related nausea there is promising but low-quality evidence. [3] For motion sickness most studies found no benefit. [4]
Can ginger interact with my medicines?
Possibly, for example with blood thinners and diabetes medicines, according to one monograph. [6] Ask a pharmacist.
Is long pepper proven to work?
Proper evidence not found in human trials in the sources read; it remains traditional use only for this page's purposes.
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
How to read the evidence labels
Labels used on this page: established, promising but limited, mixed, insufficient evidence, preclinical (lab or animal work only) and traditional use only.
Safety and cautions
- Side effects of ginger by mouth: abdominal discomfort, heartburn, diarrhea, and mouth and throat irritation. [4]
- Bleeding and blood thinners: one cancer-center herb monograph says ginger may increase bleeding risk with anti-inflammatory painkillers, and may add to blood thinners, although a systematic review found the evidence inconclusive. [6] Tell your surgeon and pharmacist about ginger supplements.
- Blood sugar medicines: ginger may cause additive blood sugar lowering, though the clinical relevance is not known. [6]
- Spice blends can change how other medicines behave. Trikatu was designed, in the traditional account, to raise the effect of other medicines. [1] In a rabbit and rat study, pretreatment with trikatu lowered serum levels of the painkiller diclofenac and reduced its anti-inflammatory effect, so a drug-herb interaction was suggested. [2] That was an animal study, and human relevance is unknown. This is a reason to ask a pharmacist before combining trikatu products with prescription medicines. See Ayurvedic herbs and prescription medicines.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding: NCCIH says ginger supplements during pregnancy may be safe, advises consulting a health care provider, and says little is known about breastfeeding. [4] Pippali has no usable safety data in the sources read, so treat it as unstudied in pregnancy. See Ayurvedic herbs: medicine interactions, pregnancy and children.
- Quality: herbal products taken by mouth are mostly sold as dietary supplements, which are not approved by the FDA before sale. [4] See Ayurvedic products: heavy metals and product quality.
Who should check first
References
- Johri RK, Zutshi U. An Ayurvedic formulation 'Trikatu' and its constituents. J Ethnopharmacol 1992. Read 2026-10-22.
- Lala LG et al. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies on interaction of Trikatu with diclofenac sodium. J Ethnopharmacol 2004. Read 2026-10-22.
- Viljoen E et al. Systematic review and meta-analysis of ginger for pregnancy-associated nausea and vomiting. Nutr J 2014. Read 2026-10-22.
- NCCIH. Ginger. Read 2026-10-22.
- Javed D, Dixit AK. Is Trikatu an ayurvedic formulation effective for the management of flu-like illness? J Complement Integr Med 2022. Read 2026-10-22.
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Ginger (herb monograph). Read 2026-10-22.