Authors: Farhan Fazal Prajwal P Mane Manoj P Rai Karadka R Thilakchand Harshith P Bhat Prathibha S Kamble Princy L Palatty Manjeshwar Shrinath Baliga
Publish Date: 2014/08/26
Volume: , Issue: , Pages: 1-11
Abstract
Since antiquity Piper betel Linn commonly known as betel vine has been used as a religious recreational and medicinal plant in Southeast Asia The leaves which are the most commonly used plant part are pungent with aromatic flavor and are widely consumed as a mouth freshener It is carminative stimulant astringent and is effective against parasitic worms Experimental studies have shown that it possess diverse biological and pharmacological effects which includes antibacterial antifungal larvicidal antiprotozal anticaries gastroprotective effects free radical scavenging antioxidant antiinflammatory hepatoprotective immunomodulatory antiulcer and chemopreventive activities The active principles hydroxychavicol allylpyrocatechol and eugenol with their plethora of pharmacological properties may also have the potential to develop as bioactive lead molecule In this review an attempt is made to summarize the religious traditional uses phytochemical composition and experimentally validated pharmacological properties of Piper betel Emphasis is also placed on aspects warranting detail studies for it to be of pharmaceutical/clinical use to humans
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