Piper betle

Piper betle

Betel or betel pepper, betel vine (Piper betle L.) is a herbaceous species belonging to the Piperaceae family.

Systematic –
From a systematic point of view it belongs to:
Eukaryota domain,
Kingdom Plantae,
Division Magnoliophyta,
Class Magnoliopsida,
Subclass Magnoliidae,
Order Piperales,
Piperaceae family,
Genus Piper,
Species P. betle.
The terms are synonymous:
– Artanthe hexagyna Miq.;
– Betela mastica Raf.;
– Chavica auriculata Miq.;
– Chavica betle (L.) Miq.;
– Chavica blumei Miq.;
– Chavica canaliculata (Opiz) C.Presl;
– Chavica chawya C.DC.;
– Chavica chuvya Miq.;
– Chavica densa Miq.;
– Chavica siriboa (L.) Miq.;
– Cubeba melamiri Miq.;
– Cubeba seriboa (L.) Miq.;
– Cubeba siriboa (L.) Miq.;
– Macropiper potamogetonifolium (Opiz) Miq.;
– Peperomia betle L.;
– Piper anisodorum Blanco;
– Piper anisodorum Náves;
– Piper anisodorum Náves ex Fern.-Vill.;
– Piper bathicarpum C.DC.;
– Piper betel Blanco;
– Piper betel L.;
– Piper betle f. densum (Blume) Fosberg;
– Piper betle f. marianum (Opiz) Fosberg;
– Piper betle subsp. densum (Blume) Fosberg;
– Piper betle subsp. mariannum (Opiz) C.DC.;
– Piper betle subsp. marianum (Opiz) Fosberg;
– Piper betle var. amplifolium C.DC.;
– Piper betle var. densum (Blume) C.DC.;
– Piper betle var. fenixii (C.DC.) Quisumb.;
– Piper betle var. macgregorii (C.DC.) Quisumb.;
– Piper betle var. marianum (Opiz) C.DC.;
– Piper betle var. siriboa (L.) C.DC.;
– Piper bidentatum Stokes;
– Piper blancoi Merr.;
– Piper blumei (Miq.) Backer;
– Piper canaliculatum Opiz;
– Piper carnistilum C.DC.;
– Piper chawya (Miq.) Buch.-Ham.;
– Piper chawya Buch.-Ham. ex Wall.;
– Piper chuvya (Miq.) Miq.;
– Piper densum Blume;
– Piper fenixii C.DC.;
– Piper macgregorii C.DC.;
– Piper malamiri Blume;
– Piper malamiris L.;
– Piper malarayatense C.DC.;
– Piper marianum Opiz;
– Piper philippinense C.DC.;
– Piper pinguispicum C.DC. & Koord.;
– Piper potamogetonifolium Opiz;
– Piper puberulinodum C.DC.;
– Piper rubroglandulosum Chaveer. & Mokkamul;
– Piper saururus Burm.;
– Piper silletianum P.K.Mukh.;
– Piper siriboa L.;
– Piperi betlum (L.) St.-Lag..

Etymology –
The term Piper comes from the Greek πέπερι péperi (in Sanskrit píppali): pepper.
The specific epithet betle derives from the vernacular name in Malayalam “vettila”.

Geographic Distribution and Habitat –
Piper betle is a plant native to Southeast Asia.
In detail, its original range includes: India, the Philippines, East Timor, the Lesser Sunda Islands and peninsular Malaysia up to Indochina, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar. Furthermore, its cultivation spread along with Austronesian migrations and trade to other parts of the islands of Southeast Asia: Papua New Guinea and Melanesia, Micronesia, South Asia, the Maldives, Mauritius, Reunion Island and Madagascar. It was introduced during the colonial era in the Caribbean.
Its habitat in natural conditions is not known for this plant as it has been cultivated since ancient times for the use of chewing the leaves: however, it is assumed that the propagation area is Indo-Malaysian, where it is present in humid forests up to approximately 900 m altitude.

Description –
Piper betle L. (1753) is a herbaceous, climbing, evergreen, dioecious plant.
The stems are dichotomous, partially lignified and enlarged at the nodes, up to 15 m in length and 3-5 mm in diameter; these adhere to the support via adventitious rootlets produced at the nodes.
The leaves are borne on a slightly pubescent petiole 1.5-8 cm long; they are alternate, simple, oblong-ovate with a pointed apex, chordate base, entire margins and 5-7 prominent ribs, of an intense green or greenish yellow color and shiny above, light green below, rather leathery, aromatic, 6-16 cm in diameter length and 4-12 cm wide.
The inflorescences are produced at the nodes on the opposite side of the leaf on a 2-3 cm long peduncle, they are spikes with numerous tiny whitish or greenish-yellow flowers, without sepals and petals, densely arranged along the rachis, the male ones are semi-pendant, cylindrical, 7-14 cm in length and 2-3.5 mm in diameter, the female ones, hanging, cylindrical, 3-8 cm in length and 0.5-1 cm in diameter.
The fruits are fleshy drupes, about 2 mm in diameter, fused together with the rachis to form a cylindrical, fleshy compound fruit (syncarp), initially green in colour, then reddish orange when ripe.

Cultivation –
Piper betle is an evergreen climbing plant that has been cultivated for over 2,500 years and is no longer known in the wild. It is commonly used as part of a chewing mixture that also involves Betel palm (Areca spp.) and also has a number of medicinal uses.
Betel is cultivated mainly in southern and southeastern Asia, from India to Papua New Guinea. Requires a compatible tree or long support pole. Betel requires well-drained fertile soil. Waterlogged, saline and alkaline soils are not suitable for its cultivation.
In Bangladesh, farmers called barui prepare a garden called barouj in which to grow betel. The barouj is fenced with bamboo canes and coconut leaves. The soil is plowed into furrows 10 to 15 m long, 75 cm wide and 75 cm deep. Oily cakes, manure and leaves are completely incorporated into the furrow soil and wood ash. The cuttings are planted at the beginning of the monsoon season.
Betel is a plant of lowland tropical areas, where it usually grows at altitudes lower than 900 meters. It prefers to grow in areas where the average annual temperature is between 22 and 27 °C, but can tolerate 17 – 31 °C.
Thrives in forest conditions with high relative humidity and ample soil moisture supply. It flourishes in areas with an average annual rainfall between 2,250 and 4,750 mm.
It prefers a shaded location and also needs protection from the wind.
From a pedological point of view, it prefers deep, well-drained, friable, silty-clayey soils, rich in organic substance and with a pH around 7 – 7.5. In general it prefers a pH between 5 and 5.6, but tolerates a pH between 4.3 and 6.8.
Young plants grow quickly and, under favorable conditions, can begin harvesting when they are as young as 18 months old.
When grown in favorable conditions, they usually have larger, less prickly leaves.
Adequate shade and watering are essential to the successful cultivation of this crop. Betel needs constantly moist soil, but there should not be excessive humidity. Watering is frequent and light, and stagnant water should not remain for more than half an hour.
Dry leaves and wood ash are applied to the furrows at fortnightly intervals and cow dung is sprinkled. Applying different types of leaves at monthly intervals is believed to be beneficial for betel growth. In three to six months the plants reach a height of between 150 and 180 cm and branch out. The harvest begins with the farmer plucking the leaf and its stalk with his right thumb. The harvest lasts from 15 days to a month. The betel plant has found its way into the research laboratories of many chemical and food nutrition companies in Bangladesh.
Each vine is harvested 3 – 4 (occasionally 5) times a year.
The leaves are traditionally stripped early in the morning by cutting the stalk with a sharp steel nail. They should be kept away from the sun to preserve their aroma. Other factors that determine the quality of the chew are the cultivar, the position of the leaves and the age of the plant. The best leaves are large, yellow and grow on the upper lateral branches. In Malaysia the leaves on the lower lateral branches are considered medicinal and are used in preparations applied to ulcers and wounds.
Annual yields are estimated at 6 – 10 tons per hectare, each plant produces 40 – 50 leaves per year.
When a plant reaches 2 meters in length, it produces smaller, poorer quality leaves, so it must be rejuvenated by cutting it back.
Regular rejuvenation is achieved by removing the plants from their supports and burying the lower part in the soil. New roots form and vigorous new shoots form along the supports.
The life of a plantation can vary greatly: from 3 – 4 years in temporary gardens to 30 – 50 years in permanent ones.
There are numerous cultivars with leaves varying in size, shape and color, as well as softness, spiciness, aroma and response to bleaching.
In Indonesia and Malaysia some cultivars have a clove-like flavor. In India, 5 cultivars are known, different in morphology and composition of essential oils.
It is a closely related species, also known only from cultivation, to Piper siriboa and Piper chuvya.
Betel pepper needs support for its growth, which can be provided by trees, bamboo, wooden poles or concrete pillars.
Being a dioecious species, both the male and female forms are necessary if fruits and seeds are wanted.
This plant is propagated by seed, but usually the numerous varieties that have been selected over time are reproduced by cutting.

Customs and Traditions –
Piper betle is a plant known by various common names; among these we remember: betel, betel pepper, betel vine (English); tanbol (Arabic); pan (Bengali); kun (Burmese); lou ye (Chinese); betél (French); paan, tambuli (Hindi); sirih, suruh (Indonesian); betel (Italian); villaya (Kannada); maluu (Khmer); pu (Laotian); sirih (Malay); vettila (Malayalam); bétele (Portuguese); bhakshyapatra, bhujangalata, nagavalli, parna, tambula (Sanskrit); bulath (Sinhala); betel, pimienta betel (Spanish); glass makers (Tamil); tamalapaku (Telugu); plū (Thai); trầu, trâu luong (Vietnamese).
The leaves harvested from this plant are consumed locally and exported to other parts of Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the Americas. Betel is cultivated and cultivated as an important crop in rural Bangladesh.
The main use of betel leaf is as a chewing wrapper for areca nut or, in modern times, tobacco, where it is used primarily to add flavor. The practice originated in the Philippines about 5,000 years ago, where the oldest remains of areca nuts and calcium from crushed sea shells were found at the archaeological site of Duyong Cave. It spread along with the Austronesian migrations to the rest of Southeast Asia, Taiwan, southern China, and South Asia. It is not known when or why betel leaves were first combined with areca nuts, as areca nuts can be chewed on their own.
Although the practice of chewing betel leaf existed even before the common era, with attested references from at least the 3rd century AD, the mixture of ingredients (paan/betel quid) with which it was chewed has changed over time. Areca nut, calcium hydroxide and catechu were the historical ingredients, as mentioned in texts from the 9th century AD. Tobacco began to be widespread in the 20th century. The practice of chewing betel leaves is in decline, and now the quid made from tobacco, areca nut and lime water, known as gutka, is more popular.
Those who chew betel report feeling a sense of well-being, euphoria, increased alertness, improved working capacity, sensation of heat, sweating and increased salivation. The use of betel induces addiction and dependence.
Despite the enormous diffusion of the use of this drug, its mechanism of action is still only partially understood.
The three components of “betel” or “paan”, namely the leaves of Piper betle, the seed of Areca catechu (the so-called betel nut) and calcium hydroxide (or other basic substances such as sodium bicarbonate), play complementary roles in drug action. It must be remembered that the same use of lime is common among those who chew coca leaves.
In India and Sri Lanka, a bundle of betel leaves is traditionally offered as a sign of respect and good luck. Occasions include greeting elders at wedding ceremonies, celebrating the New Year, and offering payments to doctors and astrologers, who are offered money and/or areca nut, placed on top of the bundle of leaves, in thanks for the blessings. In Bengali weddings, the bride is carried by the groom, seated on a platform and with her face covered in betel leaves.
In Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, the inflorescence stem of the betel tree, known as daka or “mustard stick”, is eaten along with the leaves.
It can also be used in cooking, usually raw, for its peppery taste. The use of binglang, or betel, has more than 300 years of history in areas of China, where it was once promoted for medicinal use.
Epidemiological studies demonstrate a close association between cancer incidence in India and chewing of betel quid containing tobacco, areca nut, lime water and betel leaves. Chewing paan (betel quid) is strongly associated with a higher risk of developing head and neck cancer, as well as oropharynx squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC), a form of cancer that affects the mouth, tonsils and the throat. Attempts have been made to confirm the carcinogenicity/mutagenicity of betel quid or its ingredients. Betel leaf extract alone has not been shown to cause adverse effects. Smokeless tobacco products have been shown to exhibit mutagenic and carcinogenic behavior.
A Japanese scientific study found that laboratory rats that ate a mixture of betel leaves and areca nuts had severe thickening of the upper digestive tract, while after an exclusively betel leaf diet, only one laboratory rat had developed a forestomach papilloma. Numerous studies show that betel quid without added tobacco also causes esophageal cancer and, in some cases, liver cancer.
In a study on cancer diagnosis patterns conducted on patients who chewed betel quid with different combinations of ingredients, the risk was found to be higher for those who used any form of tobacco. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) accept the scientific evidence that chewing tobacco and areca nut is carcinogenic to humans. As with chewing tobacco, chewing betel quid with tobacco and areca nut is discouraged by preventative health efforts.
Reports suggest that betel leaf itself has beneficial effects, partly due to its antimutagenic effects against mutagens (tobacco and areca nut) found in betel quid. While previous studies had hypothesized a potential mutagenic role for betel leaf in causing oral cancers, subsequent studies have invalidated this by isolating compounds (eugenol and hydroxycavicol) in betel leaf that have antimutagenic roles. These compounds have also been found to reduce the carcinogenic burden imposed by tobacco and areca nut. Hydroxycavicol was found to demonstrate anti-prostate cancer efficacy in an in vitro (human prostate cancer cells) and in vivo (BALB/c nude mice) study.
The chemical composition of betel leaves varies geographically and chavibetol is predominantly dominant. Safrole is an important component of the Sri Lankan piper beetle. Eugenol, isoeugenol, and germacrene D are other dominant compounds in other chemotypes.
The leaves also contain eugenol, chavicol, hydroxycavicol and caryophyllene.
The stems contain phytosterols (β-sitosterol, β-daucosterol, stigmasterol etc.), alkaloids (piperine, pellitorin, piperdardin, guineensin etc.), lignan (pinoresinol) and other components. Some of them are oleanolic acid, dehydropipernonaline, piperolein-B, Bornyl cis-4-hydroxycinnamate and Bornyl p-coumarate.
The roots contain aristololactam A-II, a phenylpropene, 4-allyl resorcinol, and a diketosteroid stigmast-4-en-3,6-dione.
Its essential oil consists of 50 different compounds, the main components of which are eugenol, caryophyllene, terpinolene, terpinene, cadinene and 3-carene.
Other uses include agroforestry uses. The plant, as mentioned, is often associated with coconut palm and areca palm.

Preparation Method –
Piper betle is a plant that drives an important economy, especially in some Asian countries and which is used for various purposes
In edible use, a mixture of betel leaves and other ingredients is used, which acts as a gentle stimulant and is taken after meals to sweeten the breath. The ingredients of betel mixture (quid) can vary widely depending on the country or region. The three basic ingredients are often betel leaf, the seed (“nut”) of the areca palm (Areca catechu L.) and lime, produced by burning shells or limestone slabs. In the Moluccas and in some regions of Papua New Guinea, the betel leaf is replaced by the inflorescence of Piper siriboa. Other possible ingredients include gambier (Uncaria gambir), tobacco, palm sugar, and various spices, such as cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) and clove (Syzygium aromaticum). The various blends guarantee a wide range of different flavours. Chewing quid discolors your teeth and stains your saliva, mouth and lips red. The result is abundant salivation, so users are forced to spit frequently.
However, chewing betel quid can cause mouth and tongue cancers.
Medicinally the leaves, roots and seeds are all used for medicinal purposes in Asia.
The leaves are said to be anthelmintic, antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptic, aphrodisiac, astringent, carminative, expectorant, galactofugal, laxative, sialagogic, stimulant, gastric and tonic.
Leaf preparations and leaf sap are applied to wounds, ulcers, boils and bruises. The heated leaves are applied as a poultice on the chest against coughs and asthma, on the breasts to stop milk secretion and on the abdomen to relieve constipation.
The leaves are also used to treat nosebleeds, ulcerated nose, gums and mucous membranes while the leaf extract is applied for ear wounds and as an infusion for the eyes.
A decoction of the leaves is used to bathe the woman after giving birth, or it is drunk to reduce unpleasant body odor.
The essential oil obtained from the leaves is antibacterial and antifungal; has shown anthelmintic activity against tapeworms and hookworms. It has been used to treat affections of the mucous membrane of the nose, throat and respiratory organs.

Guido Bissanti

Sources
– Acta Plantarum – Flora of the Italian Regions.
– Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
– GBIF, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.
– Useful Tropical Plants Database.
– Conti F., Abbate G., Alessandrini A., Blasi C. (ed.), 2005. An annotated checklist of the Italian vascular flora, Palombi Editore.
– Pignatti S., 1982. Flora d’Italia, Edagricole, Bologna.
– Treben M., 2000. Health from the Lord’s Pharmacy, Advice and experiences with medicinal herbs, Ennsthaler Editore.

Photo source:
– https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Piper_betle_Blanco1.12-original.png
– https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/211430312/original.jpg

Attention: Pharmaceutical applications and food uses are indicated for informational purposes only, they do not represent in any way a medical prescription; we therefore decline any responsibility for their use for healing, aesthetic or food purposes.