University of Hawai'i Cancer Center connection: Areca (betel) nut consumption: an underappreciated cause of cancer

Adrian A Franke, Jennifer F Lai, Crissy T Kawamoto, Pallav Pokhrel, Thaddeus A Herzog, Adrian A Franke, Jennifer F Lai, Crissy T Kawamoto, Pallav Pokhrel, Thaddeus A Herzog

No abstract available

Keywords: Betel nut; Betel quid; alkaloids; biomarkers; carcinogen; chewing.

Figures

Figure 1

Base ingredients of a Betel quid: areca nut, Piper betle L. leaf, and slaked lime (which may be powdered - as shown, or in liquid or paste form). Chewing tobacco or tobacco from cigarettes is often added according to preference in addition to other ingredients such as cloves, cardamom, alcohol, nutmeg, aniseed, ginger, and sweeteners such as coconut.

Figure 2

Structures of alkaloids and nitroso compounds detected in areca nuts and tobacco, and chavibetol (an allyl benzene) identified in Piper betle leaves; all these compounds were also found in saliva samples during chewing of these plant parts.