Botanical Name: Piper betle Linn.
Family: Piperaceae
Introduction:
It is used for ‘tambaku’, more than medicinal. It is very much useful in cough, over dose may cause CNS depression.
Names in different Indian languages
| English | Betel, betel pepper |
|---|---|
| Hindi | Pan, tambuli |
| Kannada | Villayadele |
| Malayalam | Vettilakkoti, kotinnali |
| Sanskrit | Tambulavalli, tambulah |
| Tamil | Vetrilai Nagavalli, Kammaaruvetritai. |
| Telugu | Tamalapaku, nagavalli |
| Unani | Paan, Tambool. |
| Folk |
Synonyms
Classification according to Charaka, Susrutha & Vagbhata
| Charaka | |
|---|---|
| Susrutha | |
| Vagbhata |
Varieties & adulterants – (CV – controversy, AD – adulterants)
Morphology
Perennial climber
Leaves – simple, alternate, broadly ovate
Male spike dense – cylindrical. Female spike- pendulous.
Fruits are rarely produced
Distribution & Habitat
Cultivated all over India
Chemical constituents:
beta- and gamma- sitosterol, hentriacontane, pentatriacontane, n-triacontanol, stearic acid and chavicol, carvacrol, eugenol, chavicol, allyl catechol, cineole, estragol, caryophyllene, cardinene, pcymene,eugenol methyl ether
Properties:
RASA-tikta,katu,kashaya
GUNA-laghu, ruksha
VIRYA-ushna
VIPAKA-katu
Karma –balyam, ruchyam, deepana, pachana, rochanam, raktha pitta vardanam
stimulant, carminative, astringent, antiseptic
Srotogamitva:
Dosha : kapha vataghnam
Dhatu :rasa
Mala :purisha
Organ : tongue , lungs
Indication:
Cough, asthma, fever, catarrh, otalgia
Part used:
Whole plant
Dosage:
Leaf juice 5-6 ml
Powder 2-4 g
Decoction 50-100 ml
Important Yogas or Formations:
Tamboola lehya and rasayana
Therapeutic Uses:
- Leaf juice + sugar useful in cough
Descriptions on Ayurveda books / Nighandu:
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