Comparative Phytochemical Profiling and Antifungal Potential of Two Endemic Varieties of Piper Betle L.

Piper betle L. (family Piperaceae) is a well-known medicinal plant extensively referenced in Ayurvedic literature and recognized with a geographical indication (GI) tag. It exhibits a wide range of pharmacological properties, including antiseptic, analgesic, antibacterial, carminative, and stimulant activities. Numerous cultivars of P. betle exist, differing in their phytochemical composition; however, detailed comparative documentation of these variations remains limited. In the present study, two commonly cultivated varieties from Mysuru, namely ‘Mysuru veelyadele’ and ‘Ambadi veelyadele’, were selected to comparatively evaluate their phytochemical profiles and antifungal potential against selected phytopathogenic fungi. Preliminary proximate analysis was conducted to quantify carbohydrates, total phenolics, flavonoids, ascorbic acid, and α-tocopherol using standard protocols with both aqueous and solvent leaf extracts. Noticeable variations in phytochemical content were observed between the two varieties. Among the extracts tested, the ethyl acetate fraction exhibited significant biological activity and was therefore subjected to partial purification using Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC), High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), and Liquid Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS). Compounds separated by TLC were further analyzed by HPLC to confirm their purity. Phytochemical characterization revealed the presence of gallic acid, trans-cinnamic acid, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, syringic acid, protocatechuic acid, vanillin, p-coumaric acid, catechin, and epicatechin. LC-MS analysis identified a compound with a molecular mass of 290.035 and a retention time of 0.68 minutes in both varieties. Notably, four compounds detected in ‘Mysuru veelyadele’ were absent in ‘Ambadi veelyadele’, indicating distinct phytochemical variability between the cultivars.