Vegetos
(An International Journal of Plant Research & Biotechnology)
Phytochemical characterization, antioxidant properties, and in-vitro antibacterial activity of three Piper betle cultivars
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Research Articles | Published: 20 May, 2025
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Keywords: Betel leaf, Antibacterial, Antioxidant, Chavicol, Eugenol
Abstract
Piper betle L., an important cash crop in India, has a rich array of phytocompounds with promising bioactive properties beneficial for therapeutic development. Due to the emergence of rising multidrug resistance in bacteria, there is an urgent need for innovative therapies and novel antimicrobials. Considering this, the current study focuses on a comparative investigation of three P. betle cultivars: Simurali Bangla (SB), Kakdwip Meetha (KM), and Medinipore Sanchi (MS), aiming to explore their phytochemical content, antioxidant activities, and antibacterial properties using leaf methanolic extract. Among the cultivars, SB showed the highest total flavonoid (TFC; 19.30 ± 0.14 mg QE/g extract) and total tannin (TTC; 10.93 ± 0.25 mg GAE/g extract), while the total phenols (TPC; mg GAE/g extract) was highest in MS (30.40 ± 0.28) followed by SB (29.90 ± 0.14). Furthermore, six different antioxidant assays revealed the maximum efficacy in SB. This cultivar exhibited substantial antibacterial activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial strains. A correlation and multivariate analysis indicated positive correlations among polyphenolic content, antioxidant potential, and antibacterial activity grouped SB and MS, separating KM. The Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis identified eugenol and chavicol derivatives as the major compounds. Quantitation of eugenol and chavicol by High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) revealed higher contents in SB and MS than KM. The results provide valuable insights into the potential health benefits of P. betle, especially the SB, in identifying natural antioxidants and plant-derived antimicrobials.
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Author Information
Department of Botany, University of Kalyani, Kalyani, Nadia, West Bengal, India