iBetel
A Piper betle plant
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Piperales Family: Piperaceae Genus: Piper Species: P. betle
Binomial name
Piper betle L.

The Betel (Piper betle) is a spice whose leaves have medicinal properties. The plant is evergreen and perennial, with glossy heart-shaped leaves and white catkins, and grows to a height of about 1 metre. The Betel plant originated in Malaysia and now grows in India, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. The best Betel leaf is the "Magahi" variety (literally from the Magadha region) grown near Patna in Bihar, India. The plant is known by a series of different names in the regions in which it is consumed - among these are Vetrilai (Tamil). Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1632x1224, 138 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Betel Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used... For other uses, see Scientific classification (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Plant (disambiguation). ... It has been suggested that Angiospermae, and Anthophyta be merged into this article or section. ... Orders See text. ... Families Aristolochiaceae Hydnoraceae Lactoridaceae Piperaceae Saururaceae The Piperales are an order of flowering plants. ... genera see text Piperaceae is the botanical name for a family of flowering plants. ... Species See text. ... In biology, binomial nomenclature is the formal method of naming species. ... Carolus Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as  , (May 23, 1707 – January 10, 1778), was a Swedish botanist, physician and zoologist[1] who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of nomenclature. ... Screen shot of Spice OPUS, a fork of Berkeley SPICE SPICE (Simulation Program with Integrated Circuits Emphasis) is a general purpose analog circuit simulator. ... The leaves of a Beech tree A leaf with laminar structure and pinnate venation In botany, a leaf is an above-ground plant organ specialized for photosynthesis. ... Red Valerian, a perennial plant. ... A male catkin on a willow Male catkins on a Common Hazel in January before opening Catkins, or aments, are slim, cylindrical flower clusters, wind-pollinated and without petals, that can be found in many plant families, including Betulaceae, Fagaceae, Moraceae, and Salicaceae. ... Magadha was an ancient kingdom of India, mentioned in both the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Bihār (HindÄ«: बिहार, IPA: ,  ) is a poor, largely agricultural state of the Indian union situated in the eastern part of the country. ... Tamil (தமிழ் ) is a classical language and one of the major languages of the Dravidian language family. ...

Ingredients

The active ingredients of betel oil, which is obtained from the leaves, are primarily a class of allylbenzene compounds. Though particular emphasis has been placed on chavibetol (betel-phenol; 3-hydroxy-4-methoxyallylbenzene), it also contains chavicol (p-allyl-phenol; 4-allyl-phenol), estragole (p-allyl-anisole; 4-methoxy-allylbenzene), eugenol (allylguaiacol; 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-allylbenzene; 2-methoxy-4-allyl-phenol), methyl eugenol (eugenol methyl ether; 3,4-dimethoxy-allylbenzene), and hydroxycatechol (2,4-dihydroxy-allylbenzene). Chavicol, or p-allylphenol, is a natural organic compound. ... Estragole, or p-allylanisole or methyl chavicol, is a natural organic compound. ... Eugenol (C10H12O2), is an allyl chain-substituted guaiacol, i. ...

Several terpenes and terpenoids are present in the betel oil as well. There are two monoterpenes, p-cymene and terpinene, and two monoterpenoids, eucalyptol and carvacrol. Additionally, there are two sesquiterpenes, cadinene and caryophyllene. Cymene, or p-cymene, is a naturally occurring aromatic organic compound. ... The terpinenes are three isomeric hydrocarbons that are classified as terpenes. ... Eucalyptol is a natural organic compound which is a colorless liquid. ... Carvacrol, or cymophenol, C6H3CH3(OH)(C3H7), is a constituent of the ethereal oil of Origanum hirtum, oil of thyme, oil obtained from pepperwort, and wild bergamot. ... This page meets Wikipedias criteria for speedy deletion. ... Caryophyllene, or (−)-β-caryophyllene, is a natural bicyclic sesquiterpene that is a constituent of some essential oils, especially clove oil and the oil from the stems and flowers of Syzygium aromaticum. ...

Chewing

The betel leaf

In India and parts of Southeast Asia, the leaves are chewed together with mineral lime (calcium oxide) and the areca nut which, by association, is sometimes inaccurately called the "betel nut". The lime acts to keep the active ingredient in its freebase or alkaline form, thus enabling it to enter the bloodstream via sublingual absorption. The areca nut contains the alkaloid arecoline, which promotes salivation (the saliva is stained red), and is itself a stimulant. This combination, known as a "betel quid", has been used for several thousand years. Tobacco is sometimes added. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (591x1026, 98 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Betel Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (591x1026, 98 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Betel Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used... Calcium oxide (CaO), commonly known as lime, quicklime or burnt lime, is a widely used chemical compound. ... Species (Betel nut palm) and about 50 more Areca is a genus of about 50 species of single-stemmed palms in the family Arecaceae, found in humid tropical forests from Malaysia to the Solomon Islands. ... Binomial name Areca catechu Linnaeus Areca nut, or pinang, more commonly known as betel nut, is the seed of the betel palm or Areca catechu, a species of palm tree which grows throughout the Pacific, Asia, and parts of east Africa. ... Freebase refers to the standalone basic form of an alkaloid, as opposed to its water-soluble salt form. ... The common (Arrhenius) definition of a base is a chemical compound that either donates hydroxide ions or absorbs hydrogen ions when dissolved in water. ... Sublingual, literally under the tongue, from Latin, refers to a pharmacological route of administration in which certain drugs are entered directly into the bloodstream via absorption under the tongue. ... Diagram of Ephedrine An alkaloid is a nitrogenous organic molecule that has a pharmacological effect on humans and animals. ... Arecoline is a natural organic compound which is an alkaloid found in betel nuts from the betel palm (Areca catechu) [1]. It is an oily liquid that is soluble in water, alcohols, and ether. ... Saliva is the watery and usually somewhat frothy substance produced in the mouths of some animals, including humans. ... Species Nicotiana acuminata Nicotiana alata Nicotiana attenuata Nicotiana benthamiana Nicotiana clevelandii Nicotiana excelsior Nicotiana forgetiana Nicotiana glauca Nicotiana glutinosa Nicotiana langsdorffii Nicotiana longiflora Nicotiana obtusifolia Nicotiana paniculata Nicotiana plumbagifolia Nicotiana quadrivalvis Nicotiana repanda Nicotiana rustica Nicotianasuaveolens Nicotiana sylvestris Nicotiana tabacum Nicotiana tomentosa Ref: ITIS 30562 as of August 26, 2005...

Betel leaves are used as a stimulant, an antiseptic and a breath-freshener Paan. In Ayurvedic medicine, they are used as an aphrodisiac. In Malaysia they are used to treat headaches, arthritis and joint pain. In Thailand and China they are used to relieve toothache. In Indonesia they are drunk as an infusion and used as an antibiotic. They are also used in an infusion to cure indigestion, as a topical cure for constipation, as a decongestant and as an aid to lactation. Stimulants are drugs that increase alertness and wakefulness. ... An antiseptic solution of iodine applied to a cut An antiseptic (Greek αντι, against, and σηπτικος, putrefactive) is a substance that prevents the growth and reproduction of various microorganisms (such as bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and viruses). ... Betel pepper (Piper betle) vines Shopkeeper making Paan in an Indian store Paan, pan (in many Indic languages, हिन्दी : पान ), or beeda (in Tamil) is a type of Indian snack, which consists of fillings wrapped in a triangular package using leaves of the Betel pepper (Piper betle) and held together with a... Ayurveda (आयुर्वेद Sanskrit: ayu—life; veda—knowledge of) or ayurvedic medicine is a more than 2,000 year old comprehensive system of medicine based on a holistic approach rooted in Vedic culture. ... An aphrodisiac is an agent which acts on the mind and causes the arousal of the mood of sexual desire. ... A headache (medically known as cephalalgia, sometimes spelled as cephalgia) is a condition of pain in the head; sometimes neck or upper back pain may also be interpreted as a headache. ... Arthritis (from Greek arthro-, joint + -itis, inflammation; plural: arthritides) is a group of conditions where there is damage caused to the joints of the body. ... A toothache, also known as odontalgia or, less frequently, as odontalgy, is an aching pain in or around a tooth. ... Staphylococcus aureus - Antibiotics test plate. ... Indigestion is a condition that is frequently caused by eating too fast, especially by eating high-fat foods quickly. ... Constipation or irregularity, is a condition of the digestive system where a person (or animal) experiences hard feces that are difficult to eliminate; it may be extremely painful, and in severe cases (fecal impaction) lead to symptoms of bowel obstruction. ... Kittens nursing Lactation describes the secretion of milk from the mammary glands, the process of providing that milk to the young, and the period of time that a mother lactates to feed her young. ...

In India, they use betel to cast out (cure) worms.

In India, the betel and areca play an important role in Indian culture especially among Hindus. All the traditional ceremonies governing the lives of Hindus use betel and areca. For example to pay money to the priest, they keep money in the betel leaves and place it beside the priest. Taj Mahal, a popular icon of India The culture of India was moulded throughout various eras of history, all the while absorbing customs, traditions and ideas from both invaders and immigrants. ...

The betel and areca also play an important role in Vietnamese culture. In Vietnamese there is a saying that "the betel begins the conversation", referring to the practice of people chewing betel in formal occasions or "to break the ice" in awkward situational conversations. The betel leaves and areca nuts are used ceremonially in traditional Vietnamese weddings. Based on a folk tale about the origins of these plants, the groom traditionally offer the bride's parents betel leaves and areca nuts (among other things) in exchange for the bride. The betel and areca are such important symbols of love and marriage such that in Vietnamese the phrase "matters of betel and areca" (chuyện trầu cau) is synonymous with marriage. The culture of Vietnam is one of the oldest of such in the Southeast Asia region. ... Binomial name Areca catechu Linnaeus Areca nut, or pinang, more commonly known as betel nut, is the seed of the betel palm or Areca catechu, a species of palm tree which grows throughout the Pacific, Asia, and parts of east Africa. ...

A related plant P. sarmentosum, which is used in cooking, is sometimes called "wild betel leaf".

Further reading

• P. Guha: Betel leaf:The neglected green gold of India. J. Hum Ecol., 19(2) 2006 [1]

External links

• Avandia Drug Trial for Oral Premalignant Lesions at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
• Sulindac Drug Trial for Oral Premalignant Lesions at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

• Betel news page - Alcohol and Drugs History Society

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