Here are the Benefits of Chinese Betel for Health – Nowadays more and more people want to take care of their body health so that they can be maintained and also very well cared for. Chinese betel is also known as ketumpang water and has the scientific name Peperomia pellucida. On the one hand, this plant is considered a weed, but on the other hand it is also widely used as part of traditional medicine. Not only in Indonesia, but also in several other countries.
Chinese betel comes from the tropics of Central and South America. However, now it is widespread throughout the tropics, including in Indonesia. In fact, there may be many in your environment.
Chinese betel has long been used traditionally to treat various medical problems. However, is there scientific evidence to support all of these claims? Well, here, we will discuss some of the benefits of Chinese betel for health that have been scientifically proven.
1. Has antimicrobial properties
The methanolic extract of Chinese betel has broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. For example, a study published in the journal Veterinary World in 2016 showed that the methanol extract of Chinese betel nut has activity against many species, such as Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus.
Meanwhile, chloroform extract from dried Chinese betel leaf has antifungal activity against Trichophyton mentagrophytes, according to a previous study in the journal ACGC Chemical Research Communications in 1998.
Another study in the journal Natural Product Reports in 2001 showed that all plant extracts inhibited the growth of Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vinckei petteri strains. Thus, it is clear that various compounds in Chinese betel have antimicrobial activity against various bacteria.
2. Equipped with anti-inflammatory and analgesic powers
In various countries, Chinese betel is traditionally used to treat fever, cough, runny nose, headache, and arthritis. In a study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology in 2004, administration of Chinese betel extract in mice showed that it exhibited anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity.
Anti-inflammatory activity is associated with impaired prostaglandin synthesis. Meanwhile, studies conducted on rabbits showed that Chinese betel extract had antipyretic activity comparable to standard aspirin.
3. Has antioxidant properties
Antioxidants are one of the powerful health benefits of Chinese betel. A 2010 study in the International Journal of Pharmacology evaluated extracts from Chinese betel, and the results showed the strongest free radical scavenging activity.
The results of the study concluded that the Chinese betel plant is a good natural source for antioxidant therapy.