Under this name it is cultivated for its leaf which is used in Lao and Vietnamese cuisine as a flavoring wrap for grilling meats, namely the thịt bò nướng lá lốt in Vietnam.

[4] Piper sarmentosum is found from the tropical areas of Southeast Asia, Northeast India and South China, and as far as the Andaman Islands.

The practice of wrapping meat in vine leaves originated in the Middle East, which was taken to India by the Persians.

[8] It is native to the Indochinese region and recently introduced to the United States by Lao and Vietnamese immigrants.

[11] It was tested against various bacteria species such as Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Vibrio cholerae and Streptococcus pneumoniae in 2010.