Abstract
Piper betle L., is an evergreen perennial creeper belonging to family Piperaceae and is known to possess numerous medicinal properties. Current study focuses on evaluating antioxidant and antimicrobial potential of betel leaf. For the present study, distilled water, hexane, acetone and ethanolic extracts of two varieties of betel leaves: Meetha paan and Banarasi paan were used. Biochemical tests such as proximate analysis (moisture, ash, protein, lipids, minerals viz., sodium and potassium), antioxidant activity tests (DPPH radical scavenging activity, total phenolics, ascorbic acid, reducing power) and antimicrobial test (antibacterial and antifungal susceptibility test) against four pathogens viz., B. subtilis, E. coli, A. niger and S. cerevisiae were determined. Ethanolic extract had the highest antioxidant activity (89.46% inhibition), while the aqueous extract exhibited lowest antioxidant activity (62.03% inhibition). With increasing concentration (5, 10, 25 and 50 µg/mL), the reducing power of leaf extracts also increased. The ascorbic acid was not significant in Banarasi paan (5.21mg/100 g) and Meetha paan (5.20mg/100 g). The highest antibacterial activity of ethanolic extract (Banarasi paan) may be attributed to the presence of phytosterols in the leaf varieties. Antioxidant and antimicrobial potential study will help to build a database and promote the utilization of betel leaf as a medicinal herb.
Highlights
Occurring herbs are being used for a long time in food and for medicinal purposes throughout the world
It has more than 100 varieties, all over the world of which about 40 of them are found in India
Different biochemical assays were performed on both varieties of betel leaves extracted with hexane, ethanol, acetone and distilled water for checking the presence of moisture, ash, carbohydrate, protein, lipids, total soluble solid (TSS), vitamin C, total phenolic, sodium and potassium
Summary
Occurring herbs are being used for a long time in food and for medicinal purposes throughout the world. Several researches are being directed to explore natural herbs for their nutraceutical, antimicrobial and nutritive potential. One such herb of importance is Piper betle L., commonly known as betel leaf. Betel leaf belongs to the family Piperaceae It has more than 100 varieties, all over the world of which about 40 of them are found in India. Loam and clay soils that contain high amount of detritus, maintaining a pH of 7-7.5 These heart shaped leaves are aromatic because of the presence of essential oils and its taste ranges from sweet to pungent (Pradhan et al 2013). The database is aimed to help promote the utilization of betel leaf in nutraceutical and functional food development
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