Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Areca
Nenga
Pinanga
Gronop yllum
,
Gul bia
,
Hydristele
,
Sipho entia
Arecinae
Subtribe
Loxococus
Figure 6.1
Phylogeny of Arecinae subtribe.
•
concina
• triandra
•
catechu
Areca
Nenga
Pinanga
Figure 6.2
Phylogeny of areca clade of Arecinae subtribe.
6.3 Arecanut and Health Hazards
Arecanut, also called betel nut palm, is known as a mild stimulant and used by
200-400 million people
[7]
along with betel leaf (
Piper betle
), lime, and some-
times tobacco and spices. Arecanut is the fourth most (
Figure 6.3
) abused sub-
stance in the world
[8]
, after nicotine (tobacco), alcohol, and caffeine, as well as a
main cause of oral cancers. Arecanut-associated oral cancer or oral squamous cell
carcinoma (OSCC) is the third most common malignancy in developing countries.
Frequent consumption of areca causes a general fibrotic change in the cavity of oral
submucosa and oral submucous fibrosis (OSF). It also leads to rigidity of oral and
