Areca Catechu (Whole Betel Nuts)
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The most common use of these nuts (seeds) is in the ritual chewing of the "betel-quid." This habit is very widespread throughout Asia, India and the Pacific, making it one of the most popular stimulants in the world. Generally the the betel-quid is a small morsel consisting of a quarter betel seed (cushed), a pinch of lime, spices like cardamom or nutmeg for flavour all wrapped in a betel leaf (Piper betle). On some Pacific Islands it is traditional for the men to also add tobacco into the package. This quid is chewed slowly over several hours, causing mild stimulation and a feeling of well-being.
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. 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.
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. 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 may further elucidate the psychoactive mechanisms responsible for the undiminished popularity of betel chewing since antiquity. FURTHER INFORMATION ON BETEL NUT: Whole Areca catechu has been used in Ayurveda as an aid for phobias and nervousness for thousands of years. The fruit of a graceful palm is an amazing feat of nature in itself: an adult betel palm grows to 100 ft tall with a trunk that is no more than 6-7 inches in diameter! It is used by nearly 10% of the total world`s population at some time or the other! Constant use of betel nut may cause unpleasant side effects. Please check with your doctor before starting to use this product, if you are on any medication. As usual, our betel nut comes from a small farm that has been owned by the same family for over 100 years. Hand picked and hand cleaned, this betel nut is the best quality available anywhere! Classified as a stimulant, nervine tonic, and euphorant. The Areca catechu (Betel Nut) has a long and rich
history, and interestingly enough, most betel pams that exist today have
been planted by humans. The most common use of these nuts (seeds) is
in the ritual chewing of the "betel-quid." This habit is very widespread
throughout Asia, India and the Pacific, making it one of the most
popular stimulants in the world.
Generally the the betel-quid is a small morsel
consisting of a quarter betel seed (cushed), a pinch of lime, spices
like cardamom or nutmeg for flavour all wrapped in a betel leaf (Piper
betle). On some Pacific Islands it is traditional for the men to also
add tobacco into the package. This quid is chewed slowly over several
hours, causing mild stimulation and a feeling of well-being.
There have been reports of Betel Nut being used by
simply as mixing 1/4 of a Betel Nut, crushed or powdered, with 1/8th of a
gram of edible lime. The edible lime increases the amount of arecoline
(the active ingredient) that the body can absorb, making smaller
amounts more effective. After an hour or so, the mixture is spit out
rather than swallowed, since swallowing the mixture can upset the
stomach. Sometimes cloves are used for flavoring, although the Betel
Nut, according to reports, has quite a mild flavor.
As stated 1994 by Roth; "Since betel in
non-addictive, it does not appear on any of the international lists of
addictive drugs." But, since reports of Parag, a product that contains
tobacco mixed with Betel Nut, causing mouth cancer, imports of ALL Parag
products are regularly blocked into the USA, regardless of whether the
products contain tobacco or not. It seems that the Betel Nut has been
blamed for the cases of mouth cancer, wheras the most-likely culprit is
the tobacco. There have never been any reports of Areca causing cancer
on it's own.
Areca catechu, or the betel palm, was referred to
in early Sanskrit as “gouvaka,” and was sited even earlier than that in
the Jataka Tales as well as in the Pali lexicon. The word “areca” means
“cavalier,” and is speculated to be derived from the Kanarese word
“adeke” or the Malayalam word “adakka.” The first documented,
descriptive account of the betel palm was put forth during the fifth
century by the Greek historian Herodotus of Halicarnassus. Travelogues
of early 17th century Arabic and European travelers documented the betel
palm and the habitual chewing of its seeds by native tribes.
History of Betel Nut
It has been speculated that the wild form of betel
palm may have originated in the Sunda Isles or possibly in the
Philippines. The betel palm grows wild in Malabar, India, however, most
modern betel palms today have been hand planted by man. The betel palm
can only survive in areas in close proximately to lush, tropical rain
forests, so its milieu is limited to India, Hindustan, Indochina,
Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Madagascar, Egypt, East Africa,
Arabia, southern China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Fiji and Melanesia.
Areca catechu is grown primarily for its seeds,
commonly referred to as betel nuts, although the plant is also a popular
ornamental. It is often sold under the name “areca palm.” The betel
palm is a commonplace plant in India, where it can be found lining the
drives leading to palaces and public parks. In order to cultivate the
betel palm, first its seeds must be pregerminated. The plant grows well
in a variety of soil, however, the saplings need to grown in shade,
since they are very susceptible to falling victim to the intense
tropical sun.
Betel palms will bear fruit when they mature ten to
fifteen years. One palm can bear fruit for forty-five to seventy years.
This fan-type palm tree can grow to over eighty feet tall, and develops
a trunk that grows to ten to twenty inches in diameter. Its loculate
fronds commonly grow to over six feet in length. The male and female
flowers are located in spadices that develop just below the leaves, and
mature palms can produce up to three such spadices, each yielding 150 to
200 fruits. The egg-shaped fruits each contain one brown, reticulate
seed, or betel nut, which usually weighs in anywhere from three to ten
grams.
Psychoactive Properties
The psychoactive properties of Areca catechu are
contained in the betel nuts, also known as areca nuts, noix d’arec and
puwag. Freshly harvested betel nuts are highly desired in many areas of
India. In order to preserve their freshness, they may be stored for
several months in a sealed container full of water. When the nuts dry
out, they develop a very hard outer skin, or shell, and become very
difficult to chew. Nevertheless, even dried betel nuts can be found for
sale in markets. The process of producing these market-bought nuts
consists of drying them in the sun for six to seven weeks before they
are put out for sale.
In Malaysia, cracked betel nuts mixed with gum
benzoin are sold as “pinang ukup” in both smoking blends and as an
incense; both forms famous for emitting a heady, enticing fragrance.
Different variations of the seeds can also be found in open air markets,
including whole, ripe, dried betel nuts (pinang kossi), halved and
dried betel nuts (pinang blah), smoked nuts (pinang salai), and
semi-ripened, salted nuts (pinang asin).
On occasion, nearly ripe betel nuts are harvested
then boiled in a decoction of betel leaves along with chunks of bark
from Szyzygium jambolanum, Pterocarpus santalinus (red sandalwood),
Adenanthera pavonia, Ficus religiosa, and slaked lime (obtained by
burning mussel, conch and/or snail shells, coral or limestone, then
dousing the ashes in water), and essential oils. The red sandalwood
lends the nuts their reddish color and gives them an iridescent,
glistening luster. Betel nuts prepared in this way have a more fragrant
flavor and tend to stay softer for a longer period of time.
Ritualistic Uses
The most significant ritualistic use of the betel
nut takes place during ceremonies involving betel quid. Although recipes
vary slightly, betel quid consists of essentially three ingredients:
betel nuts, betel leaves (Piper betle), and slaked lime. Often,
specially treated tobacco is added to this mixture, as are an assortment
of spices and a varietal array of psychoactive plants and a variety of
substances such as essential oils and alkaloids. Fermenting the Areca
catechu fruits can produce an inebriating wine. Betel leaves that have
been infused with beer yeast can be used for alcoholic fermentation.
In many cultures, betel nuts are considered magic
once a shaman has uttered a spell over them. The nuts then are believed
to carry the magical power of the shaman’s words themselves and are able
to transfer this magic to a specific target, whether that be a person,
an action or an object. They are often used in this fashion as a
conduit for love magic.
In India, the blooms of the betel palm are one of
the most important ceremonial flowers used in rituals as offerings. The
Areca catechu tree itself is symbolically venerated as the Hindu deity
Ganesha, the Lord of Beginnings and Remover of Obstacles. The leaves of
the betel palm also have ritual significance. They are often employed in
Buddhist ceremonies and during initiations. On the isle of Sri Lanka,
watertight bowls are woven from the leaves, and newborn boys are
ritually bathed in them.
In Southeast Asia generally, and in Indonesia
specifically, betel palm leaves are placed at the threshold of the door
of a newlywed couple and attached to their house as a sign of honor.
The betel palm is also occasionally discovered in portrayals of ancient
Indian and Thai art, and the hard areca nuts are carved into small
bottles or containers for storing incense in modern-day India.
The people of India use betel nuts medicinally in a
decoction with areca leaves as a general health tonic and an
aphrodisiac. In addition, the seeds themselves are primarily ingested to
dispel tape worms. To that effect, betel nuts were once widely used
throughout all of Europe as a popular anthelmintic (worm killing)
remedy, especially in veterinary medicine. They are also used in folk
medicine to treat diarrhea and similar ailments.
Active Alkaloids
Betel nuts contain various alkaloids, the primary
of which is arecoline. When betel nuts are chewed in combination with
slaked lime, the alkaloid arecoline is transformed into arecaidine.
Arecoline is a parasympathomimetic, inducing a deceleration of the
heartbeat and tremors. It has stimulating effects that greatly promote
salivation, and it possesses anthelmintic properties. The polyphenolic
substances it contains have tumor-inhibiting and immune-strengthening
effects. The oil of areca nuts has anti-fertility properties and the
aqueous extract helps to strengthen the body’s own immune system.
Throughout India and its neighboring regions, the
two traditional medical systems, namely Ayurveda and Unani, have used
betel nuts for centuries for a variety of purposes, including treatment
of digestive ailments and as a panacea for nervous disorders. Similar
uses of betel nuts can be found in traditional Chinese medicine, as well
as in Cambodia. In Iran, areca nuts are mixed with sugar and coriander
and given to pregnant women to induce labor. |
