Betel vine (Piper betle L.), a perennial climber from the family Piperaceae, has been cultivated in India since time immemorial for its leaves. Known as ‘Tambula’ in Sanskrit, the betel leaf holds deep cultural, medicinal and economic significance. It is an integral part of traditional rituals, hospitality and social customs, often chewed with arecanut and other flavoring agents as ‘Paan’. As a masticatory, the betel leaves possess aromatic, digestive, stimulant and carminative properties.