Areca alkaloids

Areca alkaloids are isolated from the areca nut, which are hemispherical seeds and are approximately 3 cm in size. Areca nuts are cultivated in India and East Asia.

The main alkaloid is arecoline, which accounts for over 50% of the total alkaloid content in betel quid.{{citation|first1=Vipin|last1= Jain|first2= Apurva|last2= Garg|first3= Mark|last3= Parascandola |first4=Pankaj|last4= Chaturvedi|first5= Samir S.|last5= Khariwala|first6= Irina|last6= Stepanov|date=2017-02-28|doi=10.1021/acs.jafc.6b05140|issue=9|language=en|pages=1977|periodical=Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry|title=Analysis of Alkaloids in Areca Nut-Containing Products by Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry|volume=65|pmc=5729027}} Other representatives include arecaidine, guvacoline, and guvacine.

Arecoline Structural Formula V1.svg|Arecoline

Arecaidine Structural Formula V1.svg|Arecaidine

Guvacoline Structural Formula V1.svg|Guvacoline

Guvacine Structural Formula V1.svg|Guvacine

The total alkaloid content of the nuts increases during ripening and decreases upon subsequent drying.{{citation|first1=H. R.|last1= Shwetha|first2= V. S.|last2= Kotrashetti|first3= N.|last3= Reddy|first4= N.|last4= Chaitanya Babu|date=2019-05-03|issue=1|language=en|pages=1113|periodical=Austin Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences|title=Estimation of the Major Constituents of Arecanut in Its Different Forms|url=http://smj.sma.org.sg/2704/2704smj11.pdf|volume=7}} Toasting and drying the nuts increases the ratio of arecoline in the total alkaloid content.

Arecolin is a potent parasympathomimetic that enhances salivary and sweat secretion and stimulates intestinal activity. The vermifuge function of areca preparations is used today only in veterinary medicine. Traditionally, areca nut has been used as an aphrodisiac, anorectic, digestive stimulant, and diuretic, as well as in the treatment of asthma, cough, dermatitis, fainting, glaucoma, erectile dysfunction, parasitic worm diseases, leprosy, toothache, and vaginal discharge, as well as to constrict the vagina.{{citation|first1=Ashish|last1= Bhalla|first2= Ponniah|last2= Thirumalaikolundusubramanian|first3= Jeffery|last3= Fung|first4= Gabriela |last4=Cordero-Schmidt|first5= Sari|last5= Soghoian|first6= Veronica |last6=Kaur Sikka|first7= Harinder|last7= Singh Dhindsa|first8= Surjit|last8= Singh|date=2014|doi=10.1016/B978-0-12-416595-3.00006-2|edition=1.|editor=Meenakshisundaram Ramachandran|isbn=978-0-12-416595-3|language=en|periodical=Heart and Toxins|publisher=Academic Press|title=Chapter 6 - Native Medicines and Cardiovascular Toxicity}}

Areca nuts are typically chewed with lime and leaves of betel pepper, especially in East Asia (known as "sirih pinang"). This practice stimulates the nervous system in a manner akin to tobacco.{{citation|author=Eberhard Breitmaier|date=1997|isbn=3-519-03542-1|location=Wiesbaden|pages=37|publisher=Springer Fachmedien|title=Alkaloide}}

Category:Alkaloids