Traditional use of Betel Leaf (Piper betel L.) by the Residents of Purba Medinipur District of West Bengal: An Ethno-medical Study

Author: Shantilata Samanta, Navneet Sharma and Dinesh Kr. Singh

Download PDF

Abstract

The betel leaf, sometimes referred to as "pan" in West Bengal, is a traditional medicinal plant that can be consumed as necessary. The green, young leaves of the betel vine are the edible or consumable component. The 'Neglected Green Gold of India' is another name for this plant. It has been discovered that the plant is a great source of vitamins, fiber, and minerals. Today's youth, however, are less fond of the pan than previous generations. Pan is gradually not so much consumed by the young villagers. The primary goal of the current study is to look into and gather data regarding the use of betel leaves by locals in West Bengal, India's Purba Medinipur District. From January 2023 to March 2023, the study was carried out in 8 villages in the Purba Medinipur District. The methods used to acquire data are in-person interviews and surveys using questionnaires. In addition to using it medicinally, it has been discovered that the locals use this plant extensively in many other aspects of their lives. Boils, cuts, minor to major wounds, gynecological difficulties, problems with the nerves, bowel movements, and respiratory distress are all treated with plant leaves. You could say that they live their daily lives around this plant. The people of West Bengal's Purba Medinipur District frequently use the pan as traditional medicine.

Keywords

Betel leaf, Traditional medicinal system, Purba Medinipur District

Conclusion

It is quite clear from the present study that, the local people of Ramnagar-1 and Ramnagar-2 Blocks of Purba Medinipur District of West Bengal are very well habituated in using betel leaf in traditional therapeutic ways. The betel leaf is used for therapeutic purposes either as a whole or its extract. Sometimes it is applied with constituents like honey, lime, turmeric, mustard oil, and cod liver oil. The main ailments that are treated by the application of betel leaf are nausea, constipation, cold cough, obstructive urination, headache, wounds, cuts, boils, etc. So, it is confirmed that betel leaf proved to be beneficial in different aspects and it becomes an integral part of the day-to-day life of the natives of Purba Medinipur district.

References

-

How to cite this article

Shantilata Samanta, Navneet Sharma and Dinesh Kr. Singh (2023). Traditional use of Betel Leaf (Piper betel L.) by the Residents of Purba Medinipur District of West Bengal: An Ethno-medical Study. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(6): 559-564.