Botanical name: Piper nigrum
Sanskrit name: Maricha
Family: Piperaceae
Part used: fruit
Taste (rasa): Pungent and bitter
Energy (veerya): Heating
Charasteristic (guna): Light, dry, penetrating
Post-digestive effect (vipak): Sweet (when green)
Dosha effect: VK-, P+
Action (karma): Improves appetite, stimulates digestion,  destroys ama (toxins), expectorant, anthelmintic, reduces fevers
Dosage: 1-5g/day
 
Black pepper is warming, drying and stimulating to the circulatory, digestive and respiratory systems.  It is a short-term bioavailability enhancer, increasing nutrient absorption.