- Piper betle is an evergreen, perennial climber of the family Piperaceae that is commonly planted in Sri Lanka. The leaf is the commercial product, and it is mostly used for chewing with Arecanut, slaked lime, tobacco, and other substances. The important constituent of the betel leaves is a volatile oil. Some of the major compounds identified in Sri Lankan betel oil are β-phellandrene, 4-terpinol, eugenol, chavibitol acetate, safrole and allylpyrocatechol diacetate.