Piperine is a N-acylpiperidine that is piperidine substituted by a (1E,3E)-1-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-5-oxopenta-1,3-dien-5-yl group at the nitrogen atom. It is an alkaloid isolated from the plant Piper nigrum. It has a role as a NF-kappaB inhibitor, a plant metabolite, a food component and a human blood serum metabolite. It is a tertiary carboxamide, a piperidine alkaloid, a member of benzodioxoles and a N-acylpiperidine. It is functionally related to an (E,E)-piperic acid. Piperine, an inhibitor of human P-glycoprotein and/or CYP3A4, which has antinociceptive, antiarthritic, antidepressant, hepatoprotective, immunomodulatory , antitumor, anti-oxidative, anti-apoptotic, chemo-protective, and anti-inflammatoryactivities. Administration of piperine appears to reverse preexisting high-fat diet (HFD)-induced hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance, probably by activation of adiponectin-AMPK signalling.