Editing Areca nut (section)

=== Chemistry ===
The major [[alkaloid]] in betel nut is [[arecoline]]. There are other compounds, such as [[arecaidine]], [[guvacine]], [[isoguvacine]], and [[guvacoline]]. [[Tannin]]s present in betel nut are mainly [[proanthocyanidin]]s along with catechins and arecatannin.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}} Two new alkaloids were recently discovered and named acatechu A and acatechu B.<ref name="pmid31351128">{{cite journal |vauthors=Cao M, Yuan H, Daniyal M, Yu H, Xie Q, Liu Y, Li B, Jian Y, Peng C, Tan D, Peng Y, Choudhary MI, Rahman AU, Wang W |title=Two new alkaloids isolated from traditional Chinese medicine Binglang the fruit of Areca catechu |journal=[[Fitoterapia]] |volume=138 |issue= |pages=104276 |date=October 2019 |pmid=31351128 |doi=10.1016/j.fitote.2019.104276 |s2cid=198952787 |url= |issn=}}</ref> Several non-alkaloid compounds including benzenoids, [[terpenes]], [[carboxylic acid]]s, [[aldehyde]]s, alcohols, and [[ester]]s were also identified.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Zhang |first1=Pangzhen |last2=Sari |first2=Elizabeth Fitriana |last3=McCullough |first3=Michael J. |last4=Cirillo |first4=Nicola |title=Metabolomic Profile of Indonesian Betel Quids |journal=Biomolecules |date=13 October 2022 |volume=12 |issue=10 |pages=1469 |doi=10.3390/biom12101469 |pmid=36291678 |pmc=9599835 |issn=2218-273X|doi-access=free }}</ref>

[[File:Lao woman chewing paan.jpg|thumb|upright=1.15|right|A woman with the characteristic red-stained teeth and gums from long term use.]]
[[File:Spit from chewing Areca nut 02.JPG|Chewing betelnut produces a red residue, which is spat out|thumb]]