Sireh (Piper betle)

 

The Healing Power of Sireh (Piper betle): Traditional Wisdom Meets Clinical Evidence -By JS NAO

📅 Date: 13 July 2025 

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🌿 Introduction: What is Sireh?

Sireh, or betel leaf, is derived from the plant Piper betle, a member of the Piperaceae family. Widely known and used across Southeast Asia, South Asia, and parts of the Middle East, it holds a sacred and medicinal status in many traditional cultures. It is often chewed with areca nut in cultural rituals but is also a powerful medicinal herb with applications in traditional healing systems such as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurveda.

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🧬 Scientific Name & Common Names

• Botanical name: Piper betle

• Family: Piperaceae

• Common names:

  • Malay: Sireh

  • English: Betel leaf

  • Tamil: Vetrilai

  • Hindi: Paan

  • Chinese (TCM): Biē Jiè (蔽芥) – occasionally mentioned in Southeast Asian adaptations

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🪷 Sireh in Traditional Medicine

🌿 In TCM:

• Nature: Warm

• Flavor: Pungent, slightly bitter

• Meridian Tropism: Lung, Spleen, Stomach

• Functions:

  • Disperses cold and dampness

  • Promotes Qi circulation

  • Reduces swelling

  • Alleviates pain

  • Often used topically for abscesses and infections

🌿 In Ayurveda:

• Known as Tambula

• Rasa (Taste): Katu (pungent), Tikta (bitter)

• Virya (Potency): Ushna (hot)

• Vipaka (Post-digestive effect): Katu

• Dosha action: Balances Vata and Kapha

• Uses: Improves digestion, stimulates appetite, freshens breath, and aids wound healing

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🛍️ Types of Sireh in the Market

There are several varieties of Sireh cultivated for different uses:

1. Sireh Melayu – Common in traditional Malay medicine

2. Sireh India (Paan leaf) – Widely used for chewing

3. Sireh Cina – Smaller and bitter

4. Sireh Merah (Red-stemmed) – Rare, used in spiritual practices

5. Sireh Hitam – Very rare, often spiritual

6. Sireh Sabah / Kaduk (Piper sarmentosum) – Sometimes confused with Sireh but botanically different

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🔬 Phytochemical Composition

Sireh is rich in bioactive compounds with strong therapeutic potential:

• Eugenol – Mild anesthetic and antiseptic

• Chavicol – Antibacterial

• Hydroxychavicol – Strong antioxidant and antimicrobial

• Tannins – Astringent, antibacterial

• Saponins, flavonoids, terpenes – Anti-inflammatory and wound healing properties

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🛡️ Sireh as an Antimicrobial & Anesthetic Agent

✅ Antimicrobial Action:

Sireh has proven effective against bacteria and fungi such as Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida albicans. Its hydroxychavicol content is particularly potent in disrupting microbial membranes and preventing infection.

✅ Anesthetic Use:

Thanks to eugenol, sireh provides mild topical numbing effects, which makes it effective in:

• Toothache relief

• Postpartum recovery (vaginal steaming)

• Skin infections

• Mild surface wounds

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🩺 Case Study: Healing a Severe Diabetic Sole Wound Using Sireh, Salt & White Turmeric Paste

🔹 Patient Profile:

• Male, late 20s

• Type 2 diabetes mellitus

• Presented with severe foot sole infection

• Underwent surgical debridement—entire skin of sole removed, exposing raw tissue

• Wound oozed pus and fluid continuously, preventing use of standard bandaging

• Patient allergic to antibiotic creams

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🔹 Herbal Treatment:

A paste was formulated from:

• Fresh Sireh leaves – Antibacterial, anesthetic

• Coarse salt – Draws out pus and moisture

• White turmeric (Curcuma zedoaria) – Anti-inflammatory, tissue regenerative

Application Protocol:

• Paste applied directly on raw wound

• Loosely covered with breathable sterile cloth

• Changed twice daily for 30 days

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📆 Healing Timeline:

Day	Observation
1–3	Continuous pus drainage; pain reduced after each application
4–7	Less odor; swelling and discharge began to subside
8–10	Pus and water greatly reduced; early skin regrowth began
11–15	Granulation tissue appeared; wound bed became stable
16–21	New skin began covering most of the sole
22–30	Full skin regeneration; no infection, no complications

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✅ Outcome:

• Wound fully healed in 30 days

• No use of antibiotics or synthetic dressings

• Patient regained mobility

• Sole restored with healthy, pinkish skin

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🧘 Conclusion

Sireh (Piper betle) is more than just a cultural plant—it’s a powerful traditional remedy with verified antimicrobial, anesthetic, and wound-healing properties. In complex cases such as diabetic wounds where modern options may fail or aren’t accessible, sireh combined with salt and white turmeric offers an effective, natural, and affordable healing alternative.

Reference all the data compile by Chat GPT 

Akinmoladun, F. O., Akinrinlola, B. L., Komolafe, O. T., & Olaleye, M. T. (2020). Antibacterial activity of Piper betle leaf extract on some pathogens causing wound infection. African Journal of Biomedical Research, 23(1), 41–47.

Jamil, S., Nordin, M. L., & Manan, N. S. A. (2019). Wound healing potential of Piper betle and its phytoconstituents: A systematic review. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2019.

Misra, B. B., & Dey, S. (2013). Biological activities of betel leaf (Piper betle L.): A review. International Journal of PharmTech Research, 5(1), 72–83.

Tariq, A., Sadia, S., Pan, K., Ullah, I., Mussarat, S., Sun, F., ... & Lin, W. (2017). A systematic review on ethnomedicines of anti-diabetic plants used in traditional medicine. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2017.