Abstract
Areca catechu L. (Arecaceae – family) is extensively cultivated across tropical climate of India and Southeast Asia. It contains numerous phytoconstituents like alkaloids, flavonoids and condensed tannins. A thorough investigation of the standardization and assessment of phytoconstituents in Areca catechu L., popularly known as betel nut, is presented in the current article. Current research utilized mature seeds collected in winter season from the Kanyakumari district, which was authenticated and processed under controlled conditions to ensure phytochemical consistency. The research provides detailed insights into the physicochemical, phytochemical, and biological properties of the seeds. Key objectives of the proposed method include the assessment of extractive values, preliminary phytochemical screening, and the quantification of bioactive compounds, particularly flavonoids, tannins and total phenol using HPTLC and TLC. According to the study, standardization was done to ensure that the medicinal plant was authentic. The results indicate good antioxidant activity, as evidenced by DPPH assay, and a rich profile of phytochemicals, including phenols and flavonoids, particularly in ethanolic extracts. This finding emphasizes the therapeutic potential of Areca catechu in traditional medicine, while also highlighting the need for proper standardization to ensure its safety and effectiveness. This work contributes to the growing body of knowledge surrounding plant-based therapies and proposes directions for future research in isolating and characterizing active compounds from various sophisticated analytical instrumentation techniques. Explicitly state the study’s novelty, mentioning the first systematic physicochemical profiling, regional collection approach, and HPTLC-based naringenin quantification.
Keywords: Alkaloids, Areca catechu L, DPPH, Flavonoids, HPTLC, Phytoconstituents.