Betel Extract Research Articles

Effect of Piper betel leaf stalk extract on protein metabolism in reproductive tissues of male albino rats

Article history: Received 18 July 2014 Objective: To know the impact of Piper betel leaf stalk (P. betel) extract on Protein and energy metabolism and its role in male albino rats. Methods: Healthy adult (3-4 months old) male Wistar strain albino rats were administered with betel leaf stalk extract, at the dose of 50 mg/ kg/day through oral gavages for 15 days. Twenty four hours after the last dose, the animals were autopsied. In order to assess antifertility effect in testis, epididymis, seminal vesicle and prostate gland, estimation of total, soluble and structural proteins, free amino acids and DNA, RNA were undertaken. Results: The accumulation in proteins indicates the anti-androgenic effect of extract. The reduction in free amino acids will affect the sertoli cell function, results in the damage of spermatogenesis. The significant elevation in testicular DNA content (hyperplasia) was observed. In the present study, P. betel leaf stalk extract decreases the concentration of RNA, in testes, seminal vesicle and prostate gland except in epididymis where it was elevated. It indicates the alterations in rate of protein synthesis and growth rate of tissues due to the administration of P. betel leaf stalk extraction. However, the RNA: DNA ratio was reduced except in prostate. Conclusions: P. betel leaf stalk extract exert its anti androgenic effect by alterations in rate of protein synthesis and cellular hypertrophy occur in prostate.

Evaluation of antibacterial and anthelmintic activities with total phenolic contents of Piper betel leaves.

The study was conducted to investigate the antibacterial and anthelmintic activities and to determine total phenolic contents of methanolic extract of Piper betel leaves. The extract was subjected to assay for antibacterial activity using both gram positive and gram negative bacterial strains through disc diffusion method; anthelmintic activity with the determination of paralysis and death time using earthworm (Pheritima posthuma) at five different concentrations and the determination of total phenolic contents using the Folin-ciocalteau method. The extract showed significant (p<0.01) zone of inhibitions against gram positive Staphylococcus aureus [(6.77±0.25) mm] and Gram negative Escherichia coli [(8.53±0.25) mm], Salmonella typhi [(5.20±0.26) mm], Shigella dysenteriae [(11.20±0.26) mm] compared to positive control Azithromycin (ranging from 20.10±0.17 to 25.20±0.35 mm) while no zone inhibitory activity was found for both the extract and the standard drug against Gram positive Bacillus cereus. The extract also showed potent anthelmintic activity requiring less time for paralysis and death compared to the standard drug albendazole (10 mg/ml). At concentrations 10, 20, 40, 60 and 80 mg/ml, leaves extract showed paralysis at mean time of 9.83±0.60, 8.50±0.29, 6.60±0.17, 6.20±0.44 and 4.16±0.60; death at 11.33±0.88, 9.67±0.33, 7.83±0.17, 7.16±0.60 and 5.16±0.72 minutes, respectively. Whereas the standard drug showed paralysis and death at 19.33±0.71 and 51.00±0.23 minutes respectively. The extract confirmed the higher concentration of phenolic contents (124.42±0.14 mg of GAE /g of extract) when screened for total phenolic compounds. As results confirmed potential antibacterial and anthelmintic activities of Piper betel leaves extract, therefore it may be processed for further drug research.

Effect of aqueous extracts of Mentha arvensis (mint) and Piper betle (betel) on growth and citrinin production from toxigenic Penicillium citrinum.

Due to growing concern of consumers about chemical residues in food products, the demand for safe and natural food is increasing greatly. The use of natural additives such as spices and herbal oil as seasoning agents for their antimicrobial activity has been extensively investigated. This paper discusses the efficacy of the aqueous extract of mint (Mentha arvensis) and betel (Piper betle) on the mycelial growth and citrinin production of Penicillium citrinum. The present investigation revealed that mint extract inhibited citrinin production up to 73% without inhibiting the mycelium growth. The citrinin production decreased with increase in the concentration of mint extract as observed from the data obtained from High pressure liquid chromatography. The samples also showed reduced cytotoxicity on HeLa cells. On the other hand betel extract resulted in stimulatory effect on citrinin production and mycelial growth. The study showed that mint extract has the potential to be used safely for restraining citrinin contamination.

Comparative evaluation of biofilm suppression by plant extracts on oral pathogenic bacteria

Microbial colonization as biofilm is one of the reasons for the emergence of drug resistant strains. In the oral cavity, drug resistant strains limit the efficacy of oral hygiene practices. Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus have been reported as drug resistant bacteria and producing oral biofilms in oral cavity. In this study we demonstrate the efficacy of aqueous extract of Azadirachta indica, Mangifera indica, Piper betel and Pepper nigrum for antibiofilm activity against E. faecalis and S. aureus. The aqueous extracts were obtained by cold percolation method. The antibiofilm activity of plants extract was evaluated at 30, 15 and 7.5 mg/ml concentration. The percentage yield of extract was maximum in P. nigrum. The aqueous extract of A. indica significantly suppressed E. faecalis and S. aureus biofilm at 7.5 mg/ml at p<0.01 and p<0.001 significance level. P. betel significantly (p<0.001) disintegrated the E. faecalis biofilm at 30 mg/ml and S. aureus at 15 mg/ml (p<0.01). P. nigrum disintegrated E. faecalis and S. aureus biofilm significantly (p<0.05 and p<0.001) at 30 and 15 mg/ml respectively. M. indica significantly (p<0.05) suppressed S. aureus biofilm at 30 mg/ml. These results clearly demonstrate the antibiofilm activity of plants extract against oral pathogens.

Evaluation of anti-cholinesterase activity of the standardized extract of Piper betel L. leaf

Piper betel L. (Piperaceae) is popularly known as betel leaves. In Indian culture betel leaves play an important role for the management of numerous diseases. The present study was an attempt to evaluate the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitory activity of the standardized extract of P. betel leaf. After extraction the P. betel leaf extract was standardized with the help of hydroxychavicol and chlorogenic acid as bio- markers, through HPLC. Further the anticholinesterase inhibitory activities of the standardized extract were evaluated by using 96-well micro plate assay and thin layer chromatography bioassay detection methods. Results of the present study showed that hydroxychavicol isolated from P. betel showed potential enzyme inhibition activity than chlorogenic acid. Moreover, the mixture of hydroxychavicol (HCH) and chlorogenic acid (CGA) in 1:1 ratio have showed more potent cholinergic activity than tested fraction and used bio marker compounds. AChE and BChE inhibition (IC50) of HCH and CGA (1:1) was found to be 21.23 ± 0.33 μg/mL and 45.55 ± 1.89 μg/mL respectively. Outcome of the investigation exhibited that P. betel can be a good lead as anti-cholinesterase agent and could be explored further for its therapeutic potential for the management of Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

Inhibitory effect of Piper betel leaf extracts on copper-mediated LDL oxidation and oxLDL-induced lipid accumulation via inducing reverse cholesterol transport in macrophages

Piper betel leaf (PBL) has the biological capabilities of detoxification and can work as an anti-inflammatory agent and an anti-oxidant. In this study, we evaluated the anti-oxidative activity of the extract of Piper betel leaves (PBLs) on the basis of Cu2+-mediated oxidation, and its ability to prevent foam cell formation in a model for oxidised low density lipoprotein (oxLDL)-induced lipid accumulation in macrophages. Our data demonstrated that PBLs were able to inhibit LDL oxidation in vitro and are able to reduce the lipid accumulation in macrophages. We showed the underlying mechanisms to be the following: PBLs up-regulated the protein levels of the class A and class B scavenger receptors, the membrane lipid transporter ABCA1, and its upstream regulator Liver X receptor (LXR) in the macrophages exposed to oxLDL. The results suggested that PBLs activated the reverse cholesterol transport mechanism to enhance the metabolism of the oxLDL that could prevent both lipid accumulation and foam cell formation and further minimise the possible damage of vessels caused by the oxLDL.

Antibacterial Activity of Ethanol Extract of Betel Leaf (Piper betle L.) Against Some Food Borne Pathogens

The ethanol extract of Betel leaf (Piper betle L.), an indigenous climber plant of Bangladesh was screened for its antibacterial activity against some foodborne pathogens viz. Vibrio cholerae ATCC 6395, E. coli ATCC 25922, E. coli O157:H7 NCTC 12049, Shigella dysenteriae-1 MJ-84 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923. Experimental findings revealed that the ethanol extract of betel leaves potentially inhibit the growth of these foodborne pathogens. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was ranged from 0.625% (w/v) to 0.75% (w/v). The ethanol extract of betel leaf showed the highest MIC values for E. coli ATCC 25922 (0.625 mm), Vibrio cholera ATCC 6395 (0.625 mm), and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 (0.625 mm). It was revealed that the antibacterial activity was highest at around neutral pH and at moderate temperature. The highest temperature (100°C) and the pH (10.0) treated ethanol extract showed a little less activity than the maximum activity at moderate temperature and at neutral pH, suggesting that the ethanol extract of the betel leaf was to some extent high temperature and high pH tolerant. The ethanol extract of betel leaf might have a potential application as natural food preservative to improve the microbiological safety of the foods. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjm.v28i2.11817 Bangladesh J Microbiol, Volume 28, Number 2, December 2011, pp 58-63

SOLID‐LIQUID EXTRACTION OF BETEL LEAVES (PIPER BETLE L.)

ABSTRACT This work investigated the effects of extraction temperature on the quality of extract and the kinetics of solid‐liquid extraction of betel leaves. In this study, the effects of extraction temperature on the quality of extract were evaluated by comparing the concentration of its active compounds, including hydroxychavicol (HC) and eugenol (EU). The results indicate that the increase of extraction temperature led to the increase of the concentration of HC. EU concentration was decreased when temperatures higher than 60C were used. The kinetics data show that the extraction process reached equilibrium in a short time – about 40 min. Two models, namely equilibrium‐dependent solid‐liquid extraction (EDSLE) model and diffusion‐dependent solid‐liquid extraction model were applied to describe the extraction process. By comparing the values of correlation coefficients, the EDSLE model was found to be more suitable in describing the extraction process as it provided a better fit to the experimental data. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSBetel leaves is one of the invaluable medicinal plants that has multiple useful bioactivities found in Malaysia. In this work, the effect of extraction temperature on the quality of the extract of betel leaves was investigated by quantifying the change of two active compounds, namely hydroxychavicol and eugenol. This is because the bioactivities depend on the content of the phytochemicals within the plant. The critical extraction temperature was determined based on the findings. Aside from this, the kinetics of the extraction process was also studied. Two mathematical models including equilibrium‐dependent solid‐liquid extraction (EDSLE) model and diffusion‐dependent solid‐liquid extraction model were used to predict the extraction process. EDSLE, which is simple and easy to be solved, was applicable in simulating the extraction process. The findings from this study are useful in understanding and optimizing the solid‐liquid extraction process of betel leaves.

Modelling of Freezing Kinetics of Extract of Betel Leaves (Piper betle L.)

Betel is a native medicinal plant from central and eastern parts of Peninsular Malaysia. It is now an important commercial crop in India and Sri Lanka. There are various beneficial bioactivities discovered in this herb including anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties. Freeze drying is one of the common methods used to dehydrate the herbal aqueous extract. This work studied the freezing process of aqueous extract of betel leaves (Piper betle L.). The effects of different freezing temperatures on the freezing kinetics were investigated. Freezing temperatures of -20, -25, -30°C were selected for the study. The freezing time which was taken as the time required for the temperature of the sample to reach the freezing temperature was determined from the kinetics data. The freezing point of betel leaves extract was determined as -4°C. The freezing process was described with numerical model. The predicted data showed good agreement with the experimental results.

Efficacy of Betel Cream on Skin Ailments

In Sri Lanka, freshly squeezed juice of Piper betle (Family: Piperaceae) leaves is used as a remedy for skin ailments. Therefore, a cream was formulated by incorporating essential oil and cold ethanolic extract of betel leaves into Vaseline and a clinical study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of the above cream. A double blind, vehicle–controlled randomized study was performed for a period of 14 days. There was a significant healing effect on skin ailments when patients were treated with betel oil and cold ethanolic extract incorporated cream.

Evaluation of Immunomodulatory Activity of Methanolic Extract of Piper betel

Many of the disorders today are based on the imbalances of immunological processes. This necessitates the search for newer and safer immunomodulators. Thus, the objective of the present study was to explore the immunomodulatory activity of the methanolic extract of Piper betel L. (MPb) (Family: Piperaceae). The MPb consists of mixture of phenols, flavonoids, tannins and polysaccharides. Both in vitro as well as in vivo evaluation was carried out. The effects of MPb on lymphocyte proliferation, interferon-gamma receptors and the production of nitric oxide were measured in vitro. Further, the extract at different dose levels was studied in vivo for the humoral and cellular immune responses on mice immunized with sheep red blood cells. P. betel significantly suppressed phytohaemagglutinin stimulated peripheral blood lymphocyte proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. The decrease in antibody titre and increased suppression of inflammation suggests possible immunosuppressive effect of extract on cellular and humoral response in mice. Thus, the MPb could be explored extensively as a therapeutic agent to treat various immune disorders including autoimmune disorders.

Inhibitory property of Piper betel extract against photosensitization-induced damages to lipids and proteins

The protective activity of Piper betel ethanolic extract (PE) against the photosensitization-induced damage to lipids and proteins of rat liver mitochondria has been studied. PE could effectively prevent lipid peroxidation, as assessed by measuring thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, lipid hydroperoxide and conjugated diene. In addition, it prevented photo-induced oxidation of proteins in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, its preventive capacity against iron-mediated lipid peroxidation was also confirmed. The protective activity of PE could be attributed to its free radical and singlet oxygen scavenging properties. The activity of PE was primarily due to its phenolic constituents, which were identified as chavibetol and 4-allylpyrocatechol.

Effect of Piper betel on Blood Glucose and Lipid Profiles in Rats After Chronic Ethanol Administration

Betel leaf chewing in India is an old tradition. The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of Piper betel Linn. (Piperaceae) leaf extract on glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, free fatty acids, and phospholipids in rats subjected to chronic ethanol administration. Administration of ethanol (7.9 g/kg body weight) for 60 days resulted in a significant reduction in blood glucose levels and an elevation of serum and tissue (liver and kidney) lipids, as compared to normal control. Subsequent to the experimental induction of toxi-city (i.e., the initial period of 30 days) P. betel extract was simultaneously administered in three different doses (100, 200, and 300 mg/kg body weight) for 30 days along with the daily dose of alcohol. Co-administration of P. betel significantly increased blood glucose and lowered the levels of plasma and tissue lipids as compared to ethanol-treated rats. The leaf extract, at 300 mg/kg, showed a greater hypolipidemic effect than the 100 and 200 mg/kg doses. These results suggest that P. betel leaf extract exhibits a hypolipidemic effect in ethanol-treated rats.

Larvicidal effects of mineral turpentine, low aromatic white spirits, aqueous extracts of Cassia alata, and aqueous extracts, ethanolic extracts and essential oil of betel leaf (Piper betle) on Chrysomya megacephala.

Many methods have been employed, with variable success, in the treatment of cutaneous myiasis caused by Chrysomya species. Experiment 1: to assess the larvicidal effect of mineral turpentine (MT) and the main ingredient of MT, low aromatic white spirits (LAWS), on Chrysomya megacephala larvae in vitro. Experiment 2: to assess the larvicidal effects of aqueous extracts of winged senna (Cassia alata), and aqueous extracts, ethanolic extracts and essential oil of betel leaf (Piper betle). In experiment 1, two samples of LAWS were obtained from two industrialists (samples 1 and 2). Adult flies of C. megacephala were bred in the insectory of the Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo. Petri dishes were prepared with pads of cotton wool. These cotton pads were soaked separately in MT, LAWS samples 1 and 2, and normal saline as a control. Ten larvae were placed in each Petri dish. The activity of the larvae was observed and recorded half-hourly. MT and the two samples of LAWS were analyzed by chromatography. In experiment 2, volatile essential oil of betel was prepared using a standard steam distillation process. An ethanolic extract of betel was obtained after boiling the crushed leaf with water, and mixing the stock with ethanol. Betel oil dilutions of 1-4% were prepared using 1% Tween 80 (v/v aq) as a solvent, with 0.05 g/100 mL sodium lauryl sulphate (as stabilizer) and 0.01 g/100 mL methyl paraben (as a preservative). Cotton wool swabs soaked in 1, 2, 3 and 4% essential oil of betel in 1% Tween 80 (v/v aq) prepared as above, 1, 2, 3 and 4% ethanolic extract of betel, 50 and 25% aqueous extract of C. alata, and 50 and 25% aqueous extract of betel were placed in separate Petri dishes. Ten larvae were placed in each Petri dish. 1% Tween 80 solvent with the stabilizer and the preservative, but without betel essential oil, was used as a negative control and MT was used as a positive control. Larval motility was assessed as before. MT and the two LAWS samples killed the larvae in vitro within 4 h. Chromatography showed more unidentified constituents in MT than in pure LAWS, indicating additional substances in MT. The 4 and 3% preparations of the essential oil of betel were effective in killing 100% of the larvae of Chrysomya within 3 h 30 min. The 2% extract of betel essential oil killed 96.7% of larvae in 4 h. Ethanolic and aqueous extracts of betel, the aqueous extract of C. alata, normal saline and the Tween 80 solvent were not larvicidal. MT and LAWS, the main ingredient of MT, were effective in killing Chrysomya larvae. Essential oil obtained from betel leaves also showed a dose-dependent larvicidal effect on Chrysomya larvae. This natural product may be effective in the treatment of wound myiasis.

Effects of betel extract and related compounds in cultured human buccal cells

Effects of betel extract and related compounds in cultured human buccal cells