Betel Leaf

Betel is a native Indonesian plant that grows propagate or leaning on other tree trunks .Thus
the leaves and fruit culture usually chewed with gambir, areca nut, tobacco and lime.
However chewing betel has been with oral cancer and the formation of a malignant squamous
cell carcinoma. Also lime mebuat shrinkage of gums (periodentitis) that can be made tooth
date, although the betel leaf containing antiseptic to prevent cavities. Betel is used as a
medicinal plant (fitofarmaka); very instrumental in the life and various ceremonies of the
Malay clan. In Indonesia, sirih is a flora typical of Riau Islands province. The people of Riau
Archipelago strongly uphold the culture of the special betel meal ceremony during the
welcoming ceremony of guests and using the betel as a medicine of various types of diseases.
Variety of betel plants are found throughout Indonesia, used or just as an ornamental plant.

These vines can reach a height of 15 m. The betel shoots are brownish-green, round-shaped,
beruas and is the root of the root. Single leaf-shaped heart, pointed, sprouted, stemmed, and a
pleasant smell when squeezed. The length is about 5 - 8 cm and width of 2 - 5 cm. The
flowers are compound in the form of grains and there are ± 1 mm elliptical protective leaves.
In long grains of male about 1.5 - 3 cm and there are two short stamens are on the female
head about 1.5 - 6 cm long where there are three to five white and yellow-green sticks. The
fruits of the round buni are grayish green. The roots are rosy, round and yellowish brown.

Essential oils of betel leaf contained fly oil (betIephenol), sesquiterpen, starch, diatase, sugar
and tannins and kavikol which have lethal, anti-oxidizing and fungicidal, anti-fungal power.
Betel nutritious eliminate body odor caused by bacteria and fungi. Betel leaf is also resistant
to bleeding, healing skin wounds, and digestive tract disorders. It also has a frown, sputum,
shed, hemostatic, and stop the bleeding. Usually for bleeding nose medicine, used 2 pieces of
fresh leaves Piper betle, washed, rolled and then inserted into the nostrils. In addition, the
active ingredient content of phenol and kavikol betel leaf forests can also be utilized as a
vegetable pesticide to control pest suction

Some benefits of betel leaf:

1. Treating asthma
 2. Treating cough
3. Treat Bronchitis Disease
4. Mild burns
5. Cures irritation and also sore eyes
6. Menstruating
7. Eliminates bad breath
8. Treating diarrhea
9. Treating cavities
10. As an ulcer drug

Afifatul Hamidah (01)

XI MIPA 6