Abstract

CRITICAL REVIEW OF PRE-CLINICAL EFFICACY STUDIES OF NAGAVALLI PATRA (PIPER BETEL LINN) IN VARIOUS DOSAGE FORMS

Vd Nishant G. Ingle* and Prof. Vd. Vinaya R. Dixit

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Abstract

The Nagavalli (Piper Betel Linn) is an evergreen shade with glossy heart shaped leaves belong to the family Piperaceae. Betel leaf is traditionally known to be useful for the treatment of various diseases like bad breath, boils and abscesses, conjunctivitis, constipation, headache, itches, mastitis, mastoiditis, leucorrhoea, otorrhoea, swelling of gums, rheumatism, cuts and injuries.[1] betel leaves extract increases the salivation which increases the amount of peroxidase, lysozyme and antibodies to combat against bacterial growth in the oral cavity. Chewing of betel leaf not only accelerating the salivation but also enhances gastric juice, pancreatic lipase secretion which aids in digestion process. Betel leaf is in use from ancient times as a digestive edible in the form of Tambula. The leaf has the great potency to act as a natural anti-oxidant. The anti-oxidant property is correlated with different biological activities like hepatoprotective, anti-diabetic, anti-arthritis, anti-stroke and anti-cancer properties, since free radicals are involved in all these diseases.[2]

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