Betel nut 49877 222593505 2008-06-30T04:27:14Z 98.221.203.121 /* Habit-forming */ {{Cleanup|date=December 2006}} [[Image:Betel nuts (from top).jpg|thumb|right|Betel nut fruit hanging from the tree.]] '''Betel nut''' (also known as '''Bettlenut''', '''Pinang''', '''Areca nut''' or '''Cau''' in [[Vietnamese language|Vietnamese]], '''Puga''' and '''Pugaphala''' in [[Sanskrit]], '''Chalia''' or '''Supari''' in [[Hindi]] and [[Urdu]] languages, '''Tamol''' in [[Assamese language]], '''Kwai''' in [[Khasi language|Khasi]], '''Adike''' in [[Kannada language|Kannada]], '''Supari''' in [[Marathi]] and [[Bengali language|Bengali]], '''Adakka (<big><big>അടക്ക</big></big>)''' in [[Malayalam]], '''Tempak Siri''' or '''Nga Nga''' in [[Tagalog language|Tagalog]], '''Paakku''' in [[Tamil language|Tamil]], '''Puwak''' in [[Sinhalese language|Sinhala]], '''Mahk''' in [[Thai Language|Thai]], '''Bīnláng''' in [[Taiwan]], and '''Pugua''' and '''Mama'on''' in [[Chamorro language|Chamoru]]), is not a [[true nut]] but rather a [[drupe]], the seed of the [[Betel palm]] (''[[Areca catechu]]''). Betel nut is commercially available in dried, cured and natural forms. Considered an auspicious ingredient in Hinduism, it is used along with betel leaf in religious ceremonies and also while honoring individuals. Betel nuts are chewed for their effects as a mildly euphoric stimulant, attributed to the presence of relatively high levels of [[psychoactive]] [[alkaloids]] and [[terpineol]]s{{Fact|date=February 2008}}. Chewing betel nuts increases the capacity to work, also causing a hot sensation in the body, heightened alertness and sweating{{Fact|date=February 2008}}. It should be noted the effect of chewing a few betel nuts is milder than drinking a cup of coffee. Chewing betel nuts is an important and popular cultural activity in many [[Asia]]n and [[Oceania|Oceanic]] countries.{{Fact|date=October 2007}} In East and North-east [[India]], Betel nut is chewed with [[Paan]] ([[Betel leaf]]). Betel nuts are used in preparation of [[Ayurvedic Medicine|Ayurvedic medicines]] . ==Uses== [[Image:arecanut.jpg|thumb|right|Photo of a ripe areca nut.]] ===Modern day consumption=== In [[India]] (the largest consumer of betel nut), the betel nut is cut into small pieces using a special instrument called sarota, and the husk is wrapped in a "betel leaf" along with [[Calcium hydroxide|lime]] and may include [[clove]], [[cardamom]], [[catechu]] (kattha), etc. for extra flavouring. Betel leaf has a fresh, peppery taste, but, depending on the variety of [[betel|betel pepper]] from which it comes, it can be very bitter. Experienced chewers might mix the betel nut with tobacco (the drug effect of the [[nicotine]] in tobacco resembles that of betel nut). This preparation of betel leaf with or without betel nut is commonly referred to as [[paan]] in India and Pakistan, and is available everywhere. Betel nut is also sold in ready-to-chew pouches called Pan Masala. It is a mixture of many spices whose primary base is betel nut crushed into very small pieces. Sometimes Pan Masala also includes a small quantity of tobacco; in this case, the product is called [[gutka]]. [[betel|Betel leaf]] is a different species of plant from the betel nut, and not in the areca family, but the Piper (pepper) family (same as [[Black pepper|pepper]] and [[Kava]]). ===Tradition=== [[Image:betelnuttw.jpg|thumb|Leaf-wrapped Betel Nuts, appearing as commonly prepared and sold in Taiwan]] Betel chewing is a tradition which dates back thousands of years. The bitter [[poultice]] is an acquired taste, and, although it is not clear why the people of the Pacific originally began to chew betelnut, the habit has been passed down through the generations and now provides a cultural link to their past. The [[betel]] and betel juice play an important role in many countries including [[Myanmar]] (where it is called ''kunya''), the Solomon Islands and [[Culture of Vietnam|Vietnam]]. The betel leaves and areca juices are used ceremonially in Vietnamese weddings. Betel leaves and areca juices start the talk between the groom's parents and the bride's parents about the young couple's marriage. The betel and areca are such important symbols of love and marriage that in Vietnamese the phrase "matters of betel and areca" (''chuyện trầu cau'') is synonymous with marriage. There is a folk tale explaining the origin of this Vietnamese tradition.[http://www.vietspring.org/legend/traucau.html] In northeast [[India]] Betel leaves (pan) with a bit of lime and raw betel nut (called ''Tamul'' in [[Assamese language|Assamese]], ''Sopari'' in [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]],"''Supari''" in [[Marathi language|Marathi]] and ''Kwai'' in [[Khasi]]) are consumed by a majority of the people. In [[Assam]] it is a tradition to offer ''Pan-tamul'' (Betel leaves and raw betel nut) to guests after tea or meals in a brass plate with stands called a ''Bota''. In [[Assam]] betel nuts also have a variety of uses during religious and marriage ceremonies, where it takes on fertility symbolisms. It is also a tradition, especially in Upper [[Assam]], to invite guests to wedding receptions by offering a few betel nuts with leaves. During [[Bihu]], the ''husori'' players are offered betel nuts and leaves by each household and their blessings are solicited. The city [[Guwahati]] (''guwa'' betel nut; ''haat'' market-place in [[Assamese language|Assamese]]) in [[Assam]] is named after this nut. ;Vernacular names * [[Chamorro]]: ''pugua'' (''Areca catechu''), ''papulu'' ([[betel]] ''Piper betel''), ''åfok'' (lime), ''måmå'on'' (the chewing of betelnut or the preparation itself) * [[Tetum]]: ''bua'' (''Areca catechu''), ''malus'' (betel, ''Piper betel''), ''ahu'' (lime), ''mama'' (the chewing of betelnut or the preparation itself) * [[Tokodede]]: ''buo'' (''Areca catechu''), ''malu'' (betel, ''Piper betel''), ''rapo'' (lime), ''mam'' (the chewing of betelnut or the preparation itself) ===Betel chewing=== Betel chewing is a part of many Asian and Pacific cultures and often takes place at ceremonies and gatherings, and preparation techniques vary from region to region. The nut is either slivered or grated, often flavoured with spices according to local tradition, and usually wrapped in a betel leaf (note that betel leaf comes from the [[betel]] pepper plant ''Piper betle'', which is not botanically related to the Betel Palm), along with some lime ([[calcium oxide]] or calcium hydroxide) to better extract the alkaloids. Some people also chew [[tobacco]] with betel nut. After about 20 minutes of chewing, the fibrous residue which remains of the nut is spat on the street, where it remains visible due to its characteristic bright red [[pigment]]. Trails of bright red sputum lining the sidewalks are a sure indication of the popularity of betel chewing in an area. In [[Papua New Guinea]] and the [[Solomon Islands]], fresh betel nut is sold on street corners, is chewed with a fresh leaf or 'fruit leaf' (daka in PNG) and mixed with lime. In these countries, dried or flavoured betel nut is not popular. Betel nut chewing has recently been introduced into [[Vanuatu]] where it is growing in popularity, especially in the northern islands of the country. In Guam, Betel nut (called Pugua' in the native [[Chamorro language]]) is a social pastime as a means to extend friendship, and can be found in many, if not most, large gatherings as part of the food display. ===Other uses=== Powdered betel nut is used as a constituent in some [[tooth powder]]s. Other medicinal uses include the removal of [[tapeworm]]s and other intestinal parasites by swallowing a few teaspoons of powdered betel nut, or by taking tablets containing the extracted alkaloids. ==Availability== [[Image:Paan Making.jpg|thumb|right|Shopkeeper making Paan in an Indian store]] In [[South Asia]], betel nuts are often chewed as an ingredient in a snack called ''[[Paan]]''. Also popular in India is a concoction of ground (or thin sliced) betel nuts (supari), tobacco and flavourings known as [[gutka]]. The [[Shimoga District]] in [[Karnataka]] is the largest producer of betelnut in India. In [[Taiwan]], betel nuts are known as bīnláng. Bags of 20 to 40 betel nuts are purchased fresh daily by a large number of consumers. To meet the steady year-round demand, there exist two kinds of betel nut shops, each of which sells cigarettes and drinks including beer in addition to their primary purpose of supplying betel nuts. On one hand, there are small [[mom and pop shop]]s that are often poorly maintained and often do not stand out from other stores nearby. On the other hand, the second provides a sight unique to Taiwan. Such a shop often consists of nothing more than a single free-standing room, or booth, elevated one meter above the street that measures less than 3 meters by 2 meters. Large picture windows comprise two or more of the walls, allowing those who pass by a complete view of the interior. The interior is often painted brightly. Within such a shop, a provocatively dressed young woman can be seen preparing betel nuts (see [[betel nut beauty]]). Shops are often identified by multicolored (commonly green) [[fluorescent lamp|fluorescent tubes]] or [[neon light]]s that frame the windows or that are arranged radially above a store. Customers stop on the side of the road and wait for the girls to bring their betel nut to their vehicles. [[Image:2006areca_nut.PNG|thumb|left|Areca nut output in 2006]] In the [[United States]], betel nut is not a controlled or specially taxed substance and may be found in some Asian grocery stores. However, importation of betel in a form other than whole or carved kernels of nuts ''can'' be stopped at the discretion of US Customs officers on the grounds of food, agricultural, or medicinal drug violations. Such actions by Customs are very rare. In the [[United Kingdom]] the betel nut is readily available in Asian grocery stores and even in shredded forms from the World Food aisles of larger [[Tesco]] supermarkets. ==Effects on health== ===Carcinogenicity=== The [[International Agency for Research on Cancer]] (IARC) regards betel nut to be a known human [[carcinogen]]. In countries and communities where betel is consumed extensively, there are vastly higher levels of oral cancer [http://www.scidev.net/News/index.cfm?fuseaction=readNews&itemid=959&language=1], and in Asian countries where it is consumed, oral cancer forms up to 50% of malignant cancers. Betel nut chewers in Taiwan were found to have a twenty-eight times higher risk of acquiring oral cancer [http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2005/12/06/2003283186]. In addition, the mixing with chewing tobacco provides the same dangerous properties as normal chewing tobacco. Although a substantial proportion of the cancers are caused by the tobacco rather than the betel nut and leaves in the quid, according to [[WHO]], betel chewing without tobacco also leads to cancer of the mouth [http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2003/priarc/en/]. The lime that betel nut is frequently chewed with causes a great deal of the mouth, cheek and tongue cancer reported. A British study reported in 2004 has tried to establish that there is a genetic aspect to this. [http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=14882 Betel-nut chewers with faulty gene have higher risk of mouth cancer ]. Dr. Steve Thomas of the [[Queensland Institute of Medical Research]], Brisbane, Australia, studied the cause and prevention of oral cancer for four years in Papua New Guinea, and reached this conclusion, "Oral squamous cell cancer is the most common malignant tumour in Papua New Guinea. We have found that oral cancer in this region is concentrated at the corner of the mouth and cheek, by striking contrast with western populations, and corresponds precisely with the site of application of lime in 77% of 169 cases. Powdered slaked lime applied to the chewed Areca nut with Piper betle inflorescence at the corner of the mouth causes the mean pH to rise to 10, at which reactive oxygen species are generated from betel quid ingredients in vitro. Reactive oxygen species, together with sustained lime-induced cell proliferation, suggest a possible mechanism of carcinogenesis for this tumour." Powdered slaked lime – a corrosive chemical – is applied to the chewed nut with Piper betle flower stalk at the corner of the mouth. This causes the betel quid ingredients to generate free radicals which, together with carcinogens from the tobacco smoke, cause DNA damage that cannot be repaired because of the rapid cell turnover caused by the caustic lime. [http://www.bristol.ac.uk/researchreview/2006/11571234315.html] In "Role of areca nut consumption in the cause of oral cancers. A cytogenetic assessment" by Bhavana J. Dave, Ph.D., Amit H. Trivedi, MSc., Siddharth G. Adhvatyu, Ph.D. of the Cell Biology Division, Department of Cancer Biology, Gujarat Cancer Research Institute & Gujarat Cancer Society, Ahme-dabad, India, 16th October 1991 paper, it says: "Cytogenetic studies, framed to assess the possible genomic damage caused by areca nut consumption (without tobacco and not as a component of betel quid), were performed among areca nut chewers, which included normal people who chew areca nuts, patients with oral submucous fibrosis, and patients with oral cancer, and healthy nonchewing controls. Results. The analysis showed statistically significant increases in the frequencies of sister chromatid exchanges and chromosome aberrations in peripheral blood lymphocytes and the percentage of micronucleated cells in exfoliated cells of buccal mucosa among all three groups of chewers when compared with those of the controls. Conclusions. The current data, the first of this type among only areca nut chewers, highlight that this popular masticatory is erroneously considered safe and that it increases the genomic damage even when chewed without tobacco. The data also signify that, henceforth, in cytogenetic biomonitoring, areca nut consumption also should be considered as one of the confounding factors." [http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/112687918/ABSTRACT] "Areca nut has been used as a masticatory since antiquity and it is estimated that more than 10% of the world population chews it in a variety of forms. We have evaluated the carcinogenicity of different preparations of areca nut: ripe-uprocessedsundried nut (R-UP-SD), ripe-processedsundried nut (R-P-SD), unripe-processed-sundried nut (UR-P-SD), ripe-unprocessed-sundried-water-soaked nut (R-UP-SD-WS) and ripe-unprocessed-undried-water-soaked nut (R-UP-UD-WS) in mice following diet-feeding or oral feeding for 12 months. Only unprocessed areca nuts (R-UP-SD, R-UP-SD-WS and R-UP-UD-WS), at high doses, displayed a very weak carcinogenicity." [http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/112708608/ABSTRACT] 31 October 1988 ===International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) - Summaries & Evaluations=== There is sufficient evidence that the habit of chewing betel quid containing tobacco is carcinogenic to humans. There is inadequate evidence that the habit of chewing betel quid without tobacco is carcinogenic to humans. The Working Group also concluded that, while there is sufficient evidence that the combined habits of smoking tobacco and chewing betel quid without tobacco cause oral and pharyngeal cancer, the evidence considered here does not allow an assessment of the possible contribution of betel quid without tobacco to this carcinogenic risk. There is limited evidence that aqueous extracts of betel quid with and without tobacco are carcinogenic to experimental animals. There is limited evidence that areca nut with and without tobacco is carcinogenic to experimental animals. The data are inadequate to allow an evaluation of the carcinogenicity of betel leaf or arecoline to experimental animals. [http://www.inchem.org/documents/iarc/vol37/betelquid.html] ===Teeth=== Regular betel chewing causes the teeth and gums to be stained red. It is believed to reduce the incidence of cavities, and toothpastes were once produced containing betel extracts. However, the increase in mouth ulcers and gum deterioration caused by betel chewing may outweigh any positive effects. ===Habit-forming=== The government of Pakistan has ruled that packets of betel nut must carry health warnings similar to those on cigarette packs, reports Asiaweek magazine. The magazine notes that millions of people in southern Asia are addicted to pan masala, a mixture of betel nut and various oils and other ingredients wrapped in a betel leaf. This is meant to be chewed. India had already placed warnings on packets of betel nut because of a reported link with cancer of the mouth. Children have also been known to choke to death on betel nuts. Pakistan’s new laws will forbid the selling of betel nut to children under five years of age.{{Fact|date=August 2007}} At one stage during the early 2000 period betel nut was being offered in nightclubs in S.E Australia at an alarming rate. Prices ranged from $1-2 per nut. Its street name is "hurry". ===Other harmful effects=== According to [http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-betelnut.html Medline Plus], "Long-term use has been associated with oral submucous fibrosis (OSF), pre-cancerous oral lesions and [[squamous cell carcinoma]]. Acute effects of betel chewing include [[asthma]] exacerbation, [[hypertension]], and [[tachycardia]]. There may be a higher risk of cancers of the liver, mouth, esophagus, stomach, prostate, cervix, and lung with regular betel use. Other effects can include a possible effect on [[blood sugar]] levels, possibly increasing the risk of type 2 [[diabetes]]. When done regularly, betel chewing is considered likely to have harmful effects on health including cancers of the stomach and mouth and damage to gums. Whether this is due to, or exacerbated by, [[Calcium_hydroxide|lime]] being used in betel preparations and the addition of tobacco (in the case of gutka) or other impurities is open to question. It is well known in betel consuming countries that various items, such as [[opiates]] and tobacco, can be added to betel preparations to increase the addictive properties, and thus to bolster sales. Very few studies exist of the use of a "pure" ''paan'' preparation: betel nut, betel leaf, and lime, and fewer studies exist of betel nut alone. Medical literature at this stage (even though highly anecdotal) seems to indicate that regular, addiction-driven use (for example, eight pinches a day) of betel nut in the preparations popular in India, Pakistan, New Guinea, and Taiwan can be harmful. Regarding the preparation methods used in Vietnam and Guam, and regarding occasional usage, there seems to be no strong indication one way or another. Betel Nuts are known to be a high anti-thiamine factor. ===Positive effects=== MedlinePlus indicates "poor-quality research" showing a possible beneficial effect for sufferers of [[anaemia]] during [[pregnancy]].{{Fact|date=April 2007}} However, it counsels against betel nut chewing due a possible risk of spontaneous [[abortion]]s. It also indicates "poor-quality studies" showing a possible beneficial effect on [[schizophrenia]] and for stroke recovery. ==Structure== According to the botanical classification, the betelnut tree belongs to the same family as [[oil palm]] and [[talipot palm]], the [[Arecaceae]], but their outer appearances are quite different. ==See also== *[[Arecoline]]- main psychoactive alkaloid *[[Areca catechu]] *[[Betel nut beauty]] *[[Jatropha incentives in India]] ==External links== *[http://taiwanreview.nat.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=25619&CtNode=128 Audrey Wang. "Betelnut Culture Turns Over a New Leaf."] <i>Taiwan Review</i>, 2008-02-01. *[http://www.crnindia.com/commodity/arecanut.html Areca Nut, Betel Nut, Pinang as a commodity traded in India] * [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/2137938.stm Indian states ban some betel nut products for health reasons.] * [http://www.epistola.com/sfowler/scholar/scholar-betel.html Betel nut: an essay] * [http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20050115/bob10.asp Palm-Nut Problem: Asian chewing habit linked to oral cancer] * [http://www.erowid.org/plants/betel/betel.shtml Erowid] * [http://www.goldenagro.com/betelnut.html Information on betel nut and many photos of the tree and the nut itself] [[Category:Herbal and fungal stimulants]] [[Category:Indian culture]] [[Category:IARC Group 1 carcinogens]] [[Category:Flora of the Maldives]] [[zh-min-nan:Pin-nn̂g]] [[de:Betelpalme]] [[eo:Areko]] [[fr:Palmier à bétel]] [[id:Pohon Pinang]] [[kn:ಅಡಿಕೆ]] [[nl:Betelnoot]] [[ja:ビンロウ]] [[pt:Noz de bétele]] [[fi:Arekapalmu]] [[sv:Betelpalm]] [[te:పచ్చి వక్క]] [[th:หมากสง]] [[zh:檳榔]]