Ethnomedicinal, Pharmacological and Phytochemical Screening of Supari (Areca catechu Linn.): A Review

Abstract

Supari (Areca catechu Linn.) is a tall tree about 10–20 m long. It is used both locally and internally. Local application is beneficial in various acute inflammatory conditions in the form of gargle, vaginal douche or abzan, decoction, juice and oil. Internally it act as muqavvie-qalb (cardiotonic) and muqavvi-e-ama (intestinal tonic), sozish meda (gastric irritation), dries the excessive secretions of mouth, used in vomiting and nausea, strengthen the teeth and gums, excrete the bilious matter; bark powder expels intestinal worms, jiryan (nocturnal emission). It is also used in the treatment of ishaal (diarrhoea), sailan-ur-rehm (leucorrhoea), khurooje rahem wa miqad (prolapse of uterus and anus) in oral powder dosage form. Ethnobotanical actions have also been discussed which narrates the action of this magic medicine in different dosage forms. It possess various pharmacological activities such as antiplatelet activity, memory enhancing activity, antinociceptive activity, anti-allergic activity, hepatoprotective activity, anti-inflammatory activity and antimelanogenesis activity, antifertility activity, anti-ovulatory activity, antidiabetic activity, wound healing activity, antioxidative activity, free radical scavenging activity, antihyaluronidase activity, anti-aging activity, antiulcerogenic activity, ulcerogenic activity, antimicrobial study, radioactivity reducing activity in blood, cytotoxicity activity, carcinogenic and toxicity study which has been scientifically evaluated by various studies have been discussed in this paper. Phytochemical studies done so far are also been discussed but isolation of various new structures can make the drug worldwide accepted. This article is an overview of plant morphology, phytochemical studies done on different parts of Supari, biochemical compounds as functionally active molecules, action and uses of Supari claimed by Unani medicine, therapeutic effects studied all over the world, and pharmacological studies scientifically proven yet. Further studies should be done to know the underlying mechanisms and type of biochemical compounds involved in these beneficial effect. 

Keywords: Supari (Areca catechu), Unani, phytochemical, ethnomedicinal, pharmacological 

Cite this Article Rani S, Rahman K, Idris M. Ethnomedicinal, Pharmacological and Phytochemical Screening of Supari (Areca catechu Linn.): A Review. Research & Reviews: A Journal of Pharmacology. 2018; 8(1): 6–20p.