Areca Nuts

Detailed Product Description
Areca Nut contains a large quantity of tannin, also gallic acid, afixed oil gum, a little volatile oil, lignin, and various salinesubstances. Four alkaloids have been found in Areca Nut - Arecoline,Arecain, Guracine, and a fourth existing in very small quantity.Arecoline resembles Pilocarpine in its effects on the system. Arecaineis the active principle of the Areca Nut.

---Medicinal Actions and Uses---ArecaNut is aromatic and astringent and is said to intoxicate when firsttaken. The natives chew these nuts all day. Whole shiploads areexported annually from Sumatra, Malacca, Siam and Cochin China. In thiscountry Areca Nut is made into a dentrifrice on account of itsastringent properties. Catechu is often made by boiling down the seedsof the plant to the consistency of an extract, but the proper Catechuused in Britain is produced from the Acacia catechu. Theflowers are very sweet-scented and in Borneo are used in medicines ascharms for the healing of the sick. In India the nut has long been usedas a taenifuge for tapeworm. The action of Arecain resembles that ofMuscarine and Pilocarpine externally, internally used it contracts thepupils.