Arecoline

About: Arecoline is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 744 publications have been published within this topic receiving 16015 citations. The topic is also known as: methylarecaiden & methylarecaidin.

Arecoline inhibits pineal-testis function in experimentally induced hypothyroid rats.

Abstract: Arecoline is known to cause endocrine dysfunction. In the current article role of arecoline on pineal-testis activity was investigated in hypothyroid rats induced by propylthiouracil (PTU). PTU treatment caused thyroid dysfunction ultrastructurally with a fall in T3 and T4 levels followed by a rise of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level. Pineal activity was impaired by PTU treatment, as evident from degenerated synaptic ribbons and mitochondria of the pinealocytes with depletion of pineal and serum N-acetyl serotonin and melatonin levels. Leydig cell function was suppressed, evident from reduced smooth endoplasmic reticulum and depletion of testosterone level. Sex accessories function was impaired by showing scanty rough endoplasmic reticulum with depletion of fructose and sialic acid levels. Arecoline treatment that caused pineal dysfunction and testicular stimulation in control rats, suppressed both pineal and testis functions after PTU treatment. The findings suggest that arecoline inhibits pineal-testis function in experimentally induced hypothyroid rats.

Fate of betel nut chemical constituents following nut treatment prior to chewing and its relation to oral precancerous & cancerous lesion.

Abstract: Areca (betel) nuts are popularly used as chewing agents. The nuts are chewed as such or processed by roasting, sundrying, soaking or boiling prior to chewing. Various agents such as slaked lime, tobacco, betel leaves are often incorporated into the chew. The habits of betel chewing are closely associated with oral cancer and precancerous lesions. The literature is repleted with numerous works on carcinogenicity of areca nut. It was demonstrated that the incorporation of lime and tobacco to the nut increase the incidence of mucosal changes. Chewers of soaked or boiled nuts demonstrated lower incidence of mucosal changes than those chewers of raw, sundried or roasted nuts. Estimation of the active chemical constituents in the nuts namely arecoline and polyphenols following nut treatments by sundrying, roasting, soaking and boiling, revealed reduction in these chemical contents. Marked reductions were observed when the nuts were subjected to soaking and boiling. These reductions may explain for the different in the incidence of the mucosal changes among users of different processed nut varieties.

Regulation of protease-activated receptor-1 expression in human buccal fibroblasts stimulated with arecoline.

Abstract: Background The purpose of this study was to compare the major thrombin receptor protease-activated receptor-1 (PAR-1) expression in normal human buccal mucosa and oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) specimens and further explore the potential mechanisms that may lead to induce PAR-1 expression. Methods Thirty OSF and 10 normal buccal mucosa specimens were examined by immunohistochemistry. Buccal mucosal fibroblasts (BMFs) were challenged with arecoline by using Western blot analysis. N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), LY294002, herbimycin A, NS-398, and PD98059 were added to find the possible regulatory mechanisms. Results PAR-1 expression was significantly higher in OSF specimens (p < .05). Arecoline was found to elevate PAR-1 expression in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner (p < .05). The addition of NAC, LY294002, herbimycin A, NS398, and PD98059 markedly inhibited the arecoline-induced PAR-1 expression (p < .05). Conclusion PAR-1 expression is significantly upregulated in areca quid chewing-associated OSF. Arecoline-induced PAR-1 expression was downregulated by NAC, LY294002, herbimycin A, NS398, and PD98059. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2013

Evaluation of the toxic potential of arecoline toward the third instar larvae of transgenic Drosophila melanogaster (hsp70-lacZ) Bg9

Abstract: Arecoline is the key component of areca nut and has been suggested as a carcinogenic agent. In the present study, the third instar larvae of transgenic Drosophila melanogaster (hsp70-lacZ) Bg9 were allowed to feed on a diet having 5, 10, 20, 40 and 80 μM arecoline for 24 h. After the completion of 24 h, the larvae were subjected to ONPG assay, X-gal staining, trypan blue exclusion test, oxidative stress markers, and apoptotic and comet assays. A dose-dependent increase in the β-galactosidase activity, tissue damage, glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activity, lipid peroxidation assay, monoamine oxidase (MAO), caspase-9 and 3, protein carbonyl content (PCC), apoptotic index, and DNA damage and decrease in glutathione (GSH) content, delta aminolevulinic acid dehydrogenase (δ-ALA-D), and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity were observed in the larvae exposed to 20, 40 and 80 μM arecoline. The results suggest that arecoline is toxic at 20, 40, and 80 μM toward the third instar larvae of transgenic Drosophila melanogaster (hsp70-lacZ) Bg9. Arecoline did not show any toxic effects at 5 and 10 μM.