Areca catechu
Family:
Palmaceae
Synonym:
Betel nut, semen areca, areca.
Part used: Seeds
Areca is the
Spanish and Portuguese term for betel nut and catechu is the East Indian name
for astringent extract or juice.
Plant description:
The plant is
a beautiful tall spineless feather palm with un-branched stem terminating in a
large crown. The inflorescence contains yellowish white flowers with sweet
smell. The plant is extensively cultivated in India, South Asia and East
Indies. The plant contains yellowish fruit of the size of hen’s egg. Each fruit
contains a single seed. The seeds are conical shaped with flattened base.
Externally seed is reddish brown to light yellowish
brown in color with pale lines.
Constituents:
Areca contains many pyridine derivatives alkaloids,
with a total alkaloid content of 0.45 %.
These alkaloids include;
1. Arecoline.
2. Arecolidine
3. Arecaidine
4. Guacine (tetra hydro nicotinic acid)
5. Guavacoline & a number of other alkaloids.
Arecoline is a colourless oily liquid alkaloid and
is up to 0.2 % of the total.
Other constituents of areca seeds include;
Tannins up to 15 %.
Lipids, Volatile oils and Gums.
Standard:
Areca yields not less than 0.35 % of ether
soluble alkaloids.
Uses:
The seeds are cut into narrow pieces and rolled
inside betel pepper leaf on which lime is rubbed over and chewed by natives.
Known as pan supari and is used as a masticating agent.
They stain the lips and teeth red.
Areca is also
used as anthelminthic in veterinary practice for tapeworm. The dose in dogs is 4 gm and in sheep is 4-8 gm.
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