DESCRIPTION
The alkaloid Arecoline is a cholinergic agonist (Acetylcholine effects)
Arecoline is an alkaloid-type natural product found in the areca nut, the fruit of the areca palm (Areca catechu). It is an oily liquid that is soluble in water, alcohols, and ether. Other substances contained in the nut are:tannin, gallic acid, nipecotic acid, a fixed oil gum, a little terpineol, lignin, various saline substances and three alkaloids, arecaidine , guvacoline(or norarecoline) and guracine. The total alkaloid content of a nut can reach the 0,45% the most abundant is arecoline which (with arecaidine) is about 15 times more potent than guvacoline and guracine. In a nut there are about 105,45 ng/mg(nut) of arecoline.(Smart Drugs)
Areca catechu is the areca palm or areca nut palm, (Malay: Pinang), a species of palm which grows in much of the tropical Pacific, Asia, and parts of east Africa.
This palm is often erroneously called the Betel tree because its fruit, the areca nut, is always chewed along with the betel leaf, a leaf from a vine of the Piperaceae family (Piper Betel).
Areca nuts are grinded and mixed with lime (Calcium Hydroxide) and Piper Betel leaves to form a little ball called "Betel quid". This is chewed or kept in the mouth to allow the slow release of the active principles ( mainly arecoline). Indeed arecoline due to its lipophyllic characteristics readily enters brain and intracellular space to fulfil its effects.
The adding of tobacco to the chewing mixture is a relatively recent introduction, because it was introduced from the American continent in colonial times. The practice of chew the Areca nut probably comes from a region of Malay called Pinang which just means: "Areca nut". (Wikipedia. Keywords: Arecoline, areca nut, Betel, Areca Catechu).
The use of Areca nuts is common in the asiatic populations ( from West Pacific to South Asia)and in the asiatic communities moved to Europe and USA. In the second case the use seems to be linked to religious reasons. The most active consumers of Areca nuts are the British Hindu communities (up to 80% of adolescents and adults), instead Sikh and Muslim (indian and pakistani) groups don't use Betel quid very much.
This palm is often erroneously called the Betel tree because its fruit, the areca nut, is always chewed along with the betel leaf, a leaf from a vine of the Piperaceae family (Piper Betel).
Areca nuts are grinded and mixed with lime (Calcium Hydroxide) and Piper Betel leaves to form a little ball called "Betel quid". This is chewed or kept in the mouth to allow the slow release of the active principles ( mainly arecoline). Indeed arecoline due to its lipophyllic characteristics readily enters brain and intracellular space to fulfil its effects.
The adding of tobacco to the chewing mixture is a relatively recent introduction, because it was introduced from the American continent in colonial times. The practice of chew the Areca nut probably comes from a region of Malay called Pinang which just means: "Areca nut". (Wikipedia. Keywords: Arecoline, areca nut, Betel, Areca Catechu).
The use of Areca nuts is common in the asiatic populations ( from West Pacific to South Asia)and in the asiatic communities moved to Europe and USA. In the second case the use seems to be linked to religious reasons. The most active consumers of Areca nuts are the British Hindu communities (up to 80% of adolescents and adults), instead Sikh and Muslim (indian and pakistani) groups don't use Betel quid very much.