A Review: Nutraceuticals Properties of Piper betel (Paan)

Piper betel or Betel vine deep green heart shaped vary famous leaves belongs to the family Piperaceae called Paan leaves in India; rich in nutrients, minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, phytochemicals. Piper betel is mostly use to chew with sliced areca nut, slaked lime, coriander, aniseed, clove, cardamom, sweetener, coconut scrapings etc, but less used remedy. It is cultivated in hotter and damper part in country following the traditional methods in India on about 55,000 hectare with an annual production worth about Rs 9000 million. Focusing on traditional use and medicinal use of Piper betel we can cure many diseases and reduce the oral cancer which actually happens due to sliced areca nut, slaked lime not because of betel leaves. Leaves are rich in many nutrients like water, energy, protein, fats, fiber, calcium and iron etc. and the antioxidants present are flavonoids, tannins, saponins alkaloids, terpenoids etc. Piper betel helps in curing various diseases like diabetes, hypertension, brain toxin, halitosis, boils and abscesses, obesity, wound healing, voice problems, conjunctivitis, constipation, headache, hysteria, itches, mastitis, mastoiditis, leucorrhoea, otorrhoea, ringworm, swelling of gum, rheumatism, abrasion, cuts and injuries etc. So, we have to highlight these nutrients rich betel leaves and its benefits. This paper put a light on nutraceuticals properties of betel leaves and says that cultivation and use of betel leaves should be increased to cure the diseases.

Author(s): Ekta Singh Chauhan, Jaya Aishwarya, Akriti Singh and Anamika Tiwari

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