Showing papers on "Arecoline published in 1998"

Influence of buthionine sulfoximine and reduced glutathione on arecoline-induced chromosomal damage and sister chromatid exchange in mouse bone marrow cells in vivo

Abstract: Arecoline (ARC), an alkaloid of the betel nut (Areca catechu), is a major ingredient of betel quid. The carcinogenic potentiality as well as its cell transformation ability has already been reported. Reduced glutathione (GSH), a major non-protein thiol substance plays an important role in protection of cells against the toxic effect of exogenous compounds. In order to understand the role of factors which affect ARC sensitivity, we have made an attempt to establish a relationship between ARC-induced DNA damage and the endogenous GSH status of the cells. ARC was administered to untreated and buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) (a GSH-depleting agent)-treated mice. Exogenous GSH was also added to ARC-administered mice. Cells were fixed at 20 h and both chromosome aberrations (CAs) and sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) were scored. Both CAs and SCEs were significantly induced by ARC and the frequency of both these parameters were increased further when ARC was given to BSO-treated mice. However, GSH reduced the frequency of CAs induced by ARC but failed to do so for SCEs. The data indicate that ARC-induced DNA damage is influenced by endogenous GSH level. The failure of GSH to reduce the frequency of SCEs indicates that the mechanism of induction of CAs and SCEs by ARC are different.

Acute myocardial infarction temporally related to betel nut chewing.

Abstract: A patient with coronary artery disease suffered an acute myocardial infarction temporally related to chewing a betel nut. Alkaloids in betel nut, such as arecoline, may play a contributing role in coronary artery spasm due to parasympathomimetic effects on vessels with abnormal endothelium. Chewing betel nuts may instantly induce a high concentration of arecoline in the circulation and do harm to a chewer with a history of coronary artery disease.

Volatile Alkaloids from Areca catechu.

Abstract: High resolution GC-mass spectral analysis of the volatile bases present in fruits of Areca catechu confirmed the presence of arecoline and guvacoline, but also indicated the presence of six other related, but hitherto undetected, alkaloids.

Arecoline stimulation of radiolabeled arachidonate incorporation from plasma into brain microvessels of awake rat.

Abstract: The cholinergic agonist, arecoline, was used to examine the effects of cholinergic stimulation upon incorporation of radiolabeled arachidonic acid from blood into cerebral microvessels of awake rats. Animals received a single I.P. injection of arecoline (1 mg/kg) followed 3 to 5 minutes later by a 5 minute intravenous infusion of [1-14C]arachidonic acid (AA) (170 μCi/kg) via the femoral vein. Timed arterial blood samples were collected over 20 minutes following the start of infusion, after which the animal was killed, and the brain was removed. The incorporation coefficient k* for [1-14C] AA was approximately 2-fold higher in microvessels isolated from arecoline-injected than from sham-injected animals. The data demonstrate in an in vivo paradigm, that activation of cholinergic pathways within the rat CNS stimulates arachidonic acid turnover in cerebral microvessels. This suggests a direct involvement of this fatty acid in second messenger function within microvessel endothelial cells and possibly attached pericytes.