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As a “medicine food homology” plant, the Piper betle L. has the characteristics of spicy, slightly sweet, and warm in nature, which can be used for treating cold, cough, stomachache, and eczema. The leaves have a strong and spicy aromatic smell and are widely used in chewables in Asia. Chemical analysis showed that the Piper betle L. contains nutrients and other chemical ingredients, including protein, starch, fat, essential oils, phenols, alcohols, ketones and alkaloids, etc. Modern pharmacological studies suggest that Piper betle L. is qualified with antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticancer, insect-resistant, anti-inflammatory, anti-malaria, and anti-glycosylation effect and so on. This article systematically reviews the material foundation and biological activity of Piper betle L., providing a reference for the further research and rational development.

In this study, the complete chloroplast genome of Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum Yieh was sequenced and characterized. The chloroplast genome is 159,427 bp in length, and contains a large single-copy (LSC) region of 88,185 bp and a small single-copy (SSC) region of 18,772 bp separated by a pair of inverted repeat (IR) regions of 26,235 bp. There are 128 genes in the genome including 83 protein-coding, 37 tRNA, and eight rRNA genes. The overall GC is 38.0% and the LSC, SSC, and IR regions are 36.1, 32.7, and 43.1%, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis of L. chinense var. rubrum fully resolved it in a clade with L. subcordatum. This complete chloroplast genome will provide valuable insight into evolution, molecular breeding, and phylogenetic analysis of Loropetalum species.