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Piri-piri also has a long history of use in herbal medicine systems in South America.* It is a very common remedy to treat nausea, vomiting, stomachaches, and intestinal gas throughout the continent.* For more information about piri-piri (Cyperus articulatus), please refer to the Database File for Piri-Piri in the Tropical Plant Database. To see pictures of piri-piri, click here.

Traditional Uses:* for vomiting and nausea; for digestive and intestinal disorders; for stress, anxiety, and nervousness; for intestinal worms; for epilepsy and convulsions

Suggested Use:* Piri-piri is traditionally prepared in a cold maceration. Simply stir 1 teaspoon of the powder into a cup of water or juice and drink twice daily. It can also be stuffed into capsules or prepared as a tea (1 tsp of powder to a cup of hot water). For more complete instrutions on preparing herbal remedies see the Methods for Preparing Herbal Remedies Page.

Contraindications: This plant has been traditionally used as a contraceptive aid. While no clinical studies exist to support this traditional use, women seeking to get pregnant should probably avoid the use of this plant.

Drug Interactions: None known.

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Published Research on Piri-Piri

All available third-party research on piri-piri can be found at PubMed. A partial listing of the published research on piri-piri updated through Feb 2019 is shown below:

Anticonvulsant & Anti-epileptic Actions:
Herrera-Calderon, O., et al. "Anticonvulsant effect of ethanolic extract of Cyperus articulatus L. leaves on pentylenetetrazol induced seizure in mice." J. Tradit. Complement. Med. 2017 Apr; 8(1): 95-99.
Bum, E., et al. "Ions and amino acid analysis of Cyperus articulatus L. (Cyperaceae) extracts and the effects of the latter on oocytes expressing some receptors." J. Ethnopharmacol. 2004 Dec; 95(2-3): 303-9.
Bum, E., et al. "Extracts from rhizomes of Cyperus articulatus (Cyperaceae) displace [3H]CGP39653 and [3H]glycine binding from cortical membranes and selectively inhibit NMDA receptor-mediated neurotransmission." J. Ethnopharmacol. 1996 Nov; 54(2-3): 103-11.
Bum, E., et al. "Effects of Cyperus articulatus compared to effects of anticonvulsant compounds on the cortical wedge." J. Ethnopharmacol. 2003 Jul; 87(1): 27-34.
Bum, E., et al. "Anticonvulsant properties of the methanolic extract of Cyperus articulatus (Cyperaceae)." J. Ethnopharmacol. 2001 Jul; 76(2): 145-50.
Bum, E., et al. "Effect of the decoction of rhizomes of Cyperus articulatus on bicuculline-, n-methyl-d-aspartate- and strychnine-induced behavioural excitation and convulsions in mice." J. Cameroon Acad. Sci. 2002; 2: 91-95.
Bum, E., et al. "Organic and water extracts of Cyperus articulatus (Cyperaceae) inhibited chemically and electrically-induced convulsions in mice." J. Cameroon Acad. Sci. 2002; 2: 96-106.

Anti-platelet & Anticoagulant Actions:
Seo, E., et al. "Antiplatelet effects of Cyperus rotundus and its component (+)-nootkatone." J. Ethnopharmacol. 2011 Apr; 135(1): 48-54.

Sedative Actions:
Rakotonirina, V., et al. "Sedative properties of the decoction of the rhizome of Cyperus articulatus." Fitoterapia. 2001; 72(1): 22-9.

Anti-inflammatory & Immune Modulation Actions:
Huang, B., et al. "α-Cyperone inhibits LPS-induced inflammation in BV-2 cells through activation of Akt/Nrf2/HO-1 and suppression of the NF-κB pathway." Food Funct. 2018 May; 9(5): 2735-2743.
Azimi, A., et al. "α-Cyperone of Cyperus rotundus is an effective candidate for reduction of inflammation by destabilization of microtubule fibers in brain." J. Ethnopharmacol. 2016 Dec; 194: 219-227.
Siqueira H.,et al. "α-Phellandrene, a cyclic monoterpene, attenuates inflammatory response through neutrophil migration inhibition and mast cell degranulation." Life Sci. 2016 Sep; 160: 27-33.
Jung, S., et al, "α-Cyperone, isolated from the rhizomes of Cyperus rotundus, inhibits LPS-induced COX-2 expression and PGE2 production through the negative regulation of NFκB signalling in RAW 264.7 cells." J. Ethnopharmacol. 2013 May; 147(1): 208-14.
Choi, Y., et al. "Inhibition of endothelial cell adhesion by the new anti-inflammatory agent alpha-iso-cubebene." Vascul. Pharmacol. 2009 Oct; 51(4): 215-24.
Kiuchi, F., et al. "Inhibition of prostaglandin biosynthesis by the constituents of medicinal plants." Chem. Pharm. Bull. 1983; 31: 3391-3396.

Antioxidant Actions:
Kavaz, D., et al. "Physiochemical characterization, antioxidative, anticancer cells proliferation and food pathogens antibacterial activity of chitosan nanoparticles loaded with Cyperus articulatus rhizome essential oils." Int. J. Biol. Macromol. 2019 Feb; 123: 837-845.
Kurdi, A., et al. "Nootkatone confers hepatoprotective and anti-fibrotic actions in a murine model of liver fibrosis by suppressing oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis." J. Biochem. Mol. Toxicol. 2018 Feb; 32(2).
Herrera-Calderon, O., et al. "Anticonvulsant effect of ethanolic extract of Cyperus articulatus L. leaves on pentylenetetrazol induced seizure in mice." J. Tradit. Complement. Med. 2017 Apr; 8(1): 95-99.
Desmarchelier, C., et al. "Total reactive antioxidant potential (TRAP) and total antioxidant reactivity (TAR) of medicinal plants used in southwest Amazona (Bolivia and Peru). Int. J. Pharmacog. 1997; 35(4): 288-296.

Antimicrobial Actions:
Kavaz, D., et al. "Physiochemical characterization, antioxidative, anticancer cells proliferation and food pathogens antibacterial activity of chitosan nanoparticles loaded with Cyperus articulatus rhizome essential oils." Int. J. Biol. Macromol. 2019 Feb; 123: 837-845.
Hu, Q., et al. "Chemical composition, antioxidant, DNA damage protective, cytotoxic and antibacterial activities of Cyperus rotundus rhizomes essential oil against foodborne pathogens." Sci Rep. 2017 Mar; 7: 45231.
Xu, H., et al. "Bioactivity-guided isolation of anti-hepatitis B virus active sesquiterpenoids from the traditional Chinese medicine: rhizomes of Cyperus rotundus." J. Ethnopharmacol. 2015 Aug; 171: 131-40.
Freires, I., et al. "The effect of essential oils and bioactive fractions on Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans biofilms: A confocal analysis." Evid. Based Complement. Alternat. Med. 2015; 2015: 871316.
Bersan, S., et al. "Action of essential oils from Brazilian native and exotic medicinal species on oral biofilms." BMC Complement. Altern. Med. 2014 Nov; 14: 451.
Zhang, L., et al. "Inhibitory effects of α-cyperone on adherence and invasion of avian pathogenic Escherichia coli O78 to chicken type II pneumocytes." Vet. Immunol. Immunopathol. 2014 May; 159(1-2): 50-7.
Muriithi, K. "Ethnobotanical uses, phytochemical analysis, bioactivity and mosquito repellency of Cyperus articulatus L. from the family Cyperaceae from Tharaka Meru." Thesis. Dec 2012. Department of Chemistry, University of Nairobi. Kenya.
Duarte, M., et al. "Anti-candida activity of Brazilian medicinal plants." J. Ethnopharmacol. 2005 Feb; 97(2): 305-11.
Desmarchelier, C., et al. "Studies on the cytotoxicity, antimicrobial and DNA-binding activities of plants used by the Ese'ejas." J. Ethnopharmacol. 1996; 50(2): 91-96.
Mongelli, E., et al. "Antimicrobial activity and interaction with DNA of medicinal plants from the Peruvian Amazon region." Rev. Argent. Microbiol. 1995 Oct-Dec; 27(4): 199-203.

Antiparastic & Antimalarial Actions:
Metuge, J., et al. "Anti-onchocerca metabolites from Cyperus articulatus: Isolation, in vitro activity and in silico 'drug-likeness'. Nat. Prod. Bioprospect. 2014 Aug; 4(4): 243-9.
Metuge, J., et al. "Anti-Onchocerca activity and phytochemical analysis of an essential oil from Cyperus articulatus L." BMC Complement. Altern. Med. 2014 Jul; 14: 223.
Rukunga, G., et al. "Anti-plasmodial activity of the extracts of some Kenyan medicinal plants." J. Ethnopharmacol. 2009 Jan; 121(2): 282-5.
Rukunga, G., et al. "Anti-plasmodial activity of the extracts and two sesquiterpenes from Cyperus articulatus." Fitoterapia. 2008 Apr; 79(3): 188-90.
Weenen, H., et al. Antimalarial compounds containing an alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl moiety from Tanzanian medicinal plants. Planta Med. 1990 Aug; 56(4): 371-3.

Mosquito Repellent Actions:
Muriithi, K. "Ethnobotanical uses, phytochemical analysis, bioactivity and mosquito repellency of Cyperus articulatus L. from the family Cyperaceae from Tharaka Meru." Thesis. Dec 2012. Department of Chemistry, University of Nairobi. Kenya.

Anticancerous Actions:
Kavaz, D., et al. "Physiochemical characterization, antioxidative, anticancer cells proliferation and food pathogens antibacterial activity of chitosan nanoparticles loaded with Cyperus articulatus rhizome essential oils." Int. J. Biol. Macromol. 2019 Feb; 123: 837-845.
Ahn, J., et al. "6-acetoxy cyperene, a patchoulane-type sesquiterpene isolated from Cyperus rotundus rhizomes induces caspase-dependent apoptosis in human ovarian cancer cells." Phytother. Res. 2015 Sep; 29(9): 1330-1338.
Ma, Y., et al. "a-Cyperone inhibits PMA-induced EPCR shedding through PKC pathway." Biol. Pharm. Bull. 2017 Oct; 40(10): 1678-1685.

Heavy Metal Chelation Actions:
Galal, T., et al. "Metal uptake capability of Cyperus articulatus L. and its role in mitigating heavy metals from contaminated wetlands." Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. Int. 2017 Sep; 24(27): 21636-21648.

Toxicity Studies:
Metuge, J., et al. "Anti-Onchocerca activity and phytochemical analysis of an essential oil from Cyperus articulatus L." BMC Complement. Altern. Med. 2014 Jul; 14: 223. (>2 g/kg in mice)

Chemicals Indentified:
Jaiswal, Y., et al. "Tissue-specific metabolite profiling of Cyperus rotundus L. rhizomes and (+)-nootkatone quantitation by laser microdissection, ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry techniques." J. Agric. Food Chem. 2014 Jul; 62(29): 7302-16.
Neville, G., et al. "Identification of ketones in Cyperus. NMR and mass spectral examination of the 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazones." Tetrahedron. 1968: 24 pp. 3891.
Ikino, H., et al. "Sesquiterpenoids. XI. Identification of Ketones in Cyperus." Tetrahedron 1967; 23: 2169-2172.
Nyasse, B., et al. "Mandassindione and other sesquiterpenic ketones from Cyperus articulatus." Phytochemistry. 1988; 27: 3319-3321.