Piper sarmentosum Roxb.

Karuk, or wild betel (Piper sarmentosum), is a herb that grows creeping and somewhat erect, 30-60 cm tall, of the Piperaceae family, distributed from India and Southern China to Southeast Asia. Its broad leaves are commonly used to wrap food as well as a distinctively aromatic ingredient in traditional cooking. Traditionally, wild betel is also believed to relieve asthma, headache, and tooth pain.

This plant grows in tropical and subtropical climate regions at temperatures of 22-35°C, found at elevations up to 600 m above sea level, rainfall of 1,200-5,000 mm/year. Favors sandy soil, moist loamy soil with pH 5-7, humus-rich soil, and good drainage.

• Stem round, woody, with nodes, aerial roots at the nodes, pale green.
• Leaves simple, alternately arranged, tapering heart-shaped and glossy green, 7-15 x 5-10 cm in size.
• Flowers monoecious, erect raceme-shaped.
• Fruit berry-like, somewhat oblong, greenish-white.

Propagated generatively (by seed) and vegetatively (by stem cuttings).

Saponins, polyphenols, flavonoids, essential oil, pellitorine, guineensine, brachystamide B, sarmentine, sarmentosine, 2 lignans, β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, 2-furanmethanol, 2-pentoic acid, benzene, benzaldehyde.

Treats asthma, malaria, stomach ache, headache; acts as an expectorant; addresses gallstones; treats skin diseases such as ringworm; relieves bone and tooth pain; has anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antituberculosis, antioxidant, antimalarial, and antibacterial activity.

• Take fresh wild betel leaves, wash thoroughly under running water.
• Air-dry for several days until the moisture content reaches 8-10%.
• Store in a closed container.

Suruh lanang or Cabean (Java), Amelaunune (Maluku).