The Materia Medica of the Hindus, compiled from Sanskrit Medical Works c5.s21.t1.55

c5.s21.t1.55

As an alterative tonic, long pepper is recommended for use in a peculiar manner. An infusion of three long peppers is to be taken with honey on the first day, then for ten successive days the dose is to be increased by three peppers every day, so that on the tenth day the patient will take thirty at one dose. Then the dose is to be gradually reduced by three daily and finally the medicine is to be omitted. Thus administered it is said to act as a valuable alterative tonic in paraplegia, chronic cough, enlargements of the spleen and other abdominal viscera, etc.⁴