Effects of Betel chewing on the central and autonomic nervous systems.
TL;DR: Results suggest that betel chewing mainly affects the central and autonomic nervous systems, and may affect parasympathetic, GABAnergic and sympathetic functions.
Abstract: Betel chewing has been claimed to produce a sense of well-being, euphoria, heightened alertness, sweating, salivation, a hot sensation in the body and increased capacity to work. Betel chewing also leads to habituation, addiction and withdrawal. However, the mechanisms underlying these effects remain poorly understood. Arecoline, the major alkaloid of Areca nut, has been extensively studied, and several effects of betel chewing are thought to be related to the actions of this parasympathomimetic constituent. However, betel chewing may produce complex reactions and interactions. In the presence of lime, arecoline and guvacoline in Areca nut are hydrolyzed into arecaidine and guvacine, respectively, which are strong inhibitors of GABA uptake. Piper betle flower or leaf contains aromatic phenolic compounds which have been found to stimulate the release of catecholamines in vitro. Thus, betel chewing may affect parasympathetic, GABAnergic and sympathetic functions. Betel chewing produces an increase in heart rate, blood pressure, sweating and body temperature. In addition, EEG shows widespread cortical desynchronization indicating a state of arousal. In autonomic function tests, both the sympathetic skin response and RR interval variation are affected. Betel chewing also increases plasma concentrations of norepinephrine and epinephrine. These results suggest that betel chewing mainly affects the central and autonomic nervous systems. Future studies should investigate both the acute and chronic effects of betel chewing. Such studies may further elucidate the psychoactive mechanisms responsible for the undiminished popularity of betel chewing since antiquity.
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TL;DR: Evidence that strongly supports causative mechanisms for genotoxicity and carcinogenicity of these substitute products, including gutkha and pan masala, are strongly implicated in the recent increase in the incidence of oral submucous fibrosis is reviewed.
Abstract: In south-east Asia, Taiwan and Papua New Guinea, smoking, alcohol consumption and chewing of betel quid with or without tobacco or areca nut with or without tobacco are the predominant causes of oral cancer. In most areas, betel quid consists of a mixture of areca nut, slaked lime, catechu and several condiments according to taste, wrapped in a betel leaf. Almost all habitual chewers use tobacco with or without the betel quid. In the last few decades, small, attractive and inexpensive sachets of betel quid substitutes have become widely available. Aggressively advertised and marketed, often claimed to be safer products, they are consumed by the very young and old alike, particularly in India, but also among migrant populations from these areas world wide. The product is basically a flavoured and sweetened dry mixture of areca nut, catechu and slaked lime with tobacco (gutkha) or without tobacco (pan masala). These products have been strongly implicated in the recent increase in the incidence of oral submucous fibrosis, especially in the very young, even after a short period of use. This precancerous lesion, which has a high rate of malignant transformation, is extremely debilitating and has no known cure. The use of tobacco with lime, betel quid with tobacco, betel quid without tobacco and areca nut have been classified as carcinogenic to humans. As gutkha and pan masala are mixtures of several of these ingredients, their carcinogenic affect can be surmised. We review evidence that strongly supports causative mechanisms for genotoxicity and carcinogenicity of these substitute products. Although some recent curbs have been put on the manufacture and sale of these products, urgent action is needed to permanently ban gutkha and pan masala, together with the other established oral cancer-causing tobacco products. Further, education to reduce or eliminate home-made preparations needs to be accelerated.
421Â citations
TL;DR: Herbal remedies that have demonstrable psychotherapeutic activities have provided a potential to psychiatric pharmaceuticals and deserve increased attention in future studies.
359Â citations
TL;DR: Following Adler's theory and the principles of the "Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion", conditions such as education, sustainable resources, social justice, and equity must be satisfied before the implementation of physical health promotion campaigns.
345Â citations
01 Feb 2006
TL;DR: The fresh leaves of betel vine are popularly known as Paan in India, which are consumed by about 15-20 million people in the country as mentioned in this paper. It is cultivated following the traditional methods in India on...
Abstract: The fresh leaves of betel vine are popularly known as Paan in India, which are consumed by about 15-20 million people in the country. It is cultivated following the traditional methods in India on ...
194Â citations
TL;DR: There is an urgent need to recognize areca nut as a harmful food substance by the policy makers and prohibit its glamorization as a mouth freshener and strict laws are necessary to regulate the production of commercial preparations of areca Nut.
Abstract: Areca nut is widely consumed by all ages groups in many parts of the world, especially south-east Asia The objective of this review is to systematically review and collate all the published data that are related to the systemic effects of areca nut The literature search was performed by an electronic search of the Pubmed and Cochrane databases using keywords and included articles published till October 2012 We selected studies that covered the effect of areca nut on metabolism, and a total of 62 studies met the criteria There is substantial evidence for carcinogenicity of areca nut in cancers of the mouth and esophagus Areca nut affects almost all organs of the human body, including the brain, heart, lungs, gastrointestinal tract and reproductive organs It causes or aggravates pre-existing conditions such as neuronal injury, myocardial infarction, cardiac arrhythmias, hepatotoxicity, asthma, central obesity, type II diabetes, hyperlipidemia, metabolic syndrome, etc Areca nut affects the endocrine system, leading to hypothyroidism, prostate hyperplasia and infertility It affects the immune system leading to suppression of T-cell activity and decreased release of cytokines It has harmful effects on the fetus when used during pregnancy Thus, areca nut is not a harmless substance as often perceived and proclaimed by the manufacturers of areca nut products such as Pan Masala, Supari Mix, Betel quid, etc There is an urgent need to recognize areca nut as a harmful food substance by the policy makers and prohibit its glamorization as a mouth freshener Strict laws are necessary to regulate the production of commercial preparations of areca nut
181Â citations
References
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17,697Â citations
TL;DR: "poor" performers were more vulnerable to both the enhancing effect of cholinergic agonist and precursor and the impairment after Cholinergic antagonist than "good" performers.
Abstract: Arecholine (4 milligrams), a cholinergic agonist, and choline (10 grams), a precursor of acetylcholine, significantly enhanced serial learning in normal human subjects. The subjects received methscopolamine prior to both arecholine and placebo injections. Conversely, scopolamine (0.5 milligram), a cholinergic antagonist, impaired learning and this impairment was reversed by arecholine and choline and the impairment after scopolamine were inversely proportional to the subject's performance on placebo; that is, "poor" performers were more vulnerable to both the enhancing effect of cholinergic agonist and precursor and the impairment after cholinergic antagonist than "good" performers.
528Â citations
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01 Oct 1992
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351Â citations