Effect of orally administered betel leaf (Piper betle Linn.) on digestive enzymes of pancreas and intestinal mucosa and on bile production in rats
Prabhu, M.S.; Platel, K.; Saraswathi, G.; Srinivasan, K.
Indian Journal of Experimental Biology 33(10): 752-756
1995
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-5189 PMID: 8575807 Document Number: 453651
The influence of two cultivars of betel leaf, the pungent Mysore and non-pungent Ambadi, on digestive enzymes of the pancreas and intestinal mucosa, and on bile secretion was studied in experimental rats. The betel leaves were administered orally at 2 doses which were either comparable to, or 5 times, the human consumption level. While betel leaves did not influence bile secretion and composition, they had a significant stimulatory effect on pancreatic lipase activity. The Ambadi cultivar had a positive stimulatory effect on intestinal digestive enzymes, especially lipase, amylase and disaccharidases. A slight decrease in the activity of these intestinal enzymes was seen when Mysore leaves were administered, and this cultivar also had a negative effect on pancreatic amylase. Both cultivars decreased pancreatic trypsin and chymotrypsin activities.