ARECOLINE

 ARECOLINE

BRAND NAME:-  no specific brand available 

ARECOLINE is an alkaloid obtained from betel nut areca catechu and has muscarinic as well as nicotinic actions, including those on skeletal muscle endplate. It also has prominent CNS effect: has been tried in dementia as an enhancer of cognitive function, but not found useful — has no therapeutic use.

PHARMACOLOGICALLY:-

Arecoline is the primary active ingredient responsible for the central nervous system effects of the areca nut. Arecoline has been compared to nicotine; however, nicotine agonizes nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, whereas arecoline is primarily a partial agonist of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors,leading to its parasympathetic effects. In frogs, arecoline also acts as an antagonist (or very weak partial agonist) at α4 and α6-containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and as a silent antagonist at α7 nicotinic receptors, which may account for its anti-inflammatory activity.Arecoline also inhibits AMPK through generation of ROS in several types of cells.

MECHANISM OF ACTION:-

Arecoline could stimulate muscarinic receptor (M receptor) to promote body excitability and improve the abilities of learning and memory. According to popular tradition, the crushed areca nuts (AN) are commonly mixed with lime and enveloped in leaves of Piper betle for chewing .

Betel nut can act on the nervous system and has the effects of antiaging, improving learning and memory. Arecoline has an acetylcholine-like effect, which can activate M receptors, thus stimulating the parasympathetic nerves .

USED:- 

• Its muscarinic and nicotinic agonist properties, arecoline has shown improvement in the learning ability of healthy volunteers.

•Arecoline has also been used medicinally as an antihelmintic (a drug against parasitic worms)

•Arecoline has also been shown to increase testosterone in rats, in low doses. 

•Alzheimer's patients.

SIDE EFFECTS:-

The systemic effects of areca nut are mainly due to the principle alkaloid arecoline. Areca nut causes euphoria, increase in heart rate, increased blood pressure, GABA inhibition and damage to neurons, but has no effect on concentration and memory. 

DOSE:- DIRECT BY PHYSICIAN