Perejil

Botanical Overview

Perejil (Peperomia pereskiifolia) is a species in the Piperaceae family. This species belongs to the Piperaceae family, a group of flowering plants. Although comprehensive ethnobotanical records are limited, phytochemical studies have identified 16 compounds in this species, suggesting potential medicinal value.

General Description

It is native to Venezuela.

ⓘ Information
Description adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Family Context

The Piperaceae family is widely distributed. Notable medicinal members include:

Geographic Distribution

Perejil has been recorded in 10 countries and territories worldwide, including Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Nicaragua, and others.

Active Compounds

Phytochemical research has identified 16 compounds in this species, including a diverse array of phytochemical classes (see the Complete Chemical Inventory below for the full list).

The identified compounds include the following categories:

  • Alkaloid: nitrogenous compounds with diverse pharmacological activities

Research Status

Although this species has documented phytochemical constituents, its ethnobotanical and clinical documentation remains incomplete. Additional phytochemical investigation could identify novel bioactive compounds in this plant.

ⓘ Information
Information on this page is compiled from Dr. Duke’s Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases (USDA ARS), a public domain resource. Consult a healthcare professional before using any herbal preparation.

Distribution and Conservation

Reported distribution: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Paraguay, Uruguay, Venezuela, Unknown.

Complete Chemical Inventory

CompoundFormulaMW
ASCORBIC-ACIDC₆H₈O₆176.12 Da
ASH
BETA-CAROTENEC₄₀H₅₆536.9 Da
CALCIUMCa40.08 Da
CARBOHYDRATES
FIBER
IRONFe55.84 Da
KILOCALORIES
NIACINC₆H₅NO₂123.11 Da
PHOSPHORUSP30.97376200 Da
POTASSIUMK39.0983 Da
PROTEIN
RIBOFLAVINC₁₇H₂₀N₄O₆376.4 Da
SODIUMNa22.9897693 Da
THIAMINC₁₂H₁₇N₄OS+265.36 Da
WATERH₂O18.015 Da

Data from PubChem (NIH/NLM, public domain).


References & Further Reading

External Research Links

Data Sources