Nikhil George, Sr Anna CK, Hanna Fathima and Adithya D

Betel leaf (Piper betle L.), a prominent component in traditional medicine systems across Asia, has gained significant attention due to its diverse pharmacological properties. This review provides a comprehensive overview of betel leaf's phytoconstituents, traditional uses, and modern therapeutic potential. The leaf is rich in bioactive compounds such as phenols, flavonoids, and alkaloids, which contribute to its wide-ranging medicinal properties, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities. Traditional uses of betel leaf span from its role in oral health to its applications in treating respiratory, gastrointestinal, and skin disorders. Modern scientific studies have proved many of these traditional claims and explored new therapeutic avenues, such as neuroprotection, cardio protection, and metabolic disorder management. This integrative review synthesizes current knowledge on the phytochemistry and pharmacology of betel leaf, emphasizing the need for further research to explore its full therapeutic potential and develop novel health interventions.

DOI: 10.22271/phyto.2024.v13.i6b.15172

Pages: 124-135  |  223 Views  91 Downloads