Pepper (Piper nigrum) is a native of South India, which naturally extended to Sri Lanka. Ground or whole black peppercorn may be found on nearly every dinner table in most parts of the world, often alongside table salt. The 5th century Syriac Book of Medicines prescribes pepper (or perhaps long pepper) for such illnesses as constipation, diarrhea, earache, gangrene, heart disease, hernia, hoarseness, indigestion, insect bites, insomnia, joint pain, liver problems, lung disease, oral abscesses, sunburn, tooth decay, and toothaches. It has been shown that Piperine, a substance present in black pepper can dramatically increase absorption of selenium, vitamin B and beta-carotene as well as other nutrients.