The role of lime in the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), i.e., O2-., H2O2, and OH., from betel-quid components (extracts of areca nut and catechu) was investigated in vitro using a chemiluminescence technique and an assay for oxidative DNA damage involving analysis of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine. Of the various areca-nut extracts, the catechin fraction, at alkaline pH, was shown to b...

BACKGROUND Whether the habitual use of substances (tobacco, alcohol, or areca nut (seed of the Areca palm)) can affect the age of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) presentation has rarely been examined. METHODS The study subjects were those who were males and the first time to be diagnosed as ESCC (ICD-9 150) and who visited any of three medical centers in Taiwan between 2000 and 2009...

Introduction Leaf of areca tree (Areca catechu L.) is a hard material (good tensile strength), slow in biodegradation and has low calorific value. About 1000 million leaf sheaths (2,33,000 tonnes) are available annually in India alone. Areca leaf sheath (cellulose, 43%) by digestion using sulphite process at 162°C for 3.5 h gives a pulp (yield, 36-40%), which in admixture with other pulp can be...

AIM The study aimed to evaluate the association between oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) and psychiatric morbidity in a controlled manner. METHODS Matched patients were divided into three groups: Those with areca nut chewing habits with OSF (Group 1; n=50); those with areca nut chewing habits without OSF (Group 2; n=50); those without areca habits and with dental problems other than OSF (Group 3...

A case of oral submucous fibrosis in a 12-year-old girl discusses its etiopathogenesis, clinical features, and histopathologic findings of the condition and highlights strong association of areca nut chewing as the potential factor in the etiology of this condition. Cessation of the areca nut chewing habit and submucosal administration of aqueous extract of healthy human placental extract (Plac...

Polyphenols are functional compounds in plants, which possess many bioactivities beneficial for humans. The aim of this study was to establish a highly efficient method for extracting polyphenol compounds from areca seeds and further to identify polyphenols and antioxidant properties of the seeds. A quadratic general rotary unitized design was used to determine the optimal extraction process. T...

Areca quid chewing related oral mucosal lesions are potential hazard to a large population worldwide. Commercially freeze dried products such as pan masala, Guthka and mawa have high concentration of areca nut per chew and appear to cause OSMF more rapidly than by self prepared conventional betel quid that contain smaller amounts of areca nut. These chemical appear to interfere with the molecul...

Betel quid containing areca nut and chewing tobacco is used in many parts of India. In this study we evaluated the micronuclei (MN) in buccal mucosa of healthy individuals from southern India, who were regularly chewing a mixture of betel leaf, areca nut and tobacco. A total of 44 subjects were examined. The study population included 15 chewers, 14 chewers with smoking habit and 15 controls wit...

BACKGROUND S100A4, a member of the calcium-binding proteins, is dramatically elevated in a variety of fibrotic diseases. Areca quid chewing is the most important etiological factor in the pathogenesis of oral submucous fibrosis (OSF). OSF has been considered as a pre-cancerous condition of oral mucosa. The aim of this study was to determine the critical role of S100A4 expression in the pathogen...

BACKGROUND Oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) is a chronic, premalignant condition of the oral mucosa and one of the commonest potentially malignant disorders amongst the Asian population. The objective of this study was to investigate the association of etiologic factors with: age, frequency, duration of consumption of areca nut and its derivatives, and the severity of clinical manifestations. M...