Botanical Overview
Areca catechu, commonly known as Areca palm, Areca nut, or Betel nut, belongs to the family Arecaceae. The primary parts used medicinally are the seed and fruit. This palm species is native to South and Southeast Asia and widespread throughout the Pacific Islands.
Energetics
Areca nut is traditionally considered warming and drying with pungent, bitter, and astringent tastes. Its directionality is ascending and outward, and it is tonifying, primarily influencing the qi energy.
Primary Actions
- Stimulant
- Astringent
- Carminative
Indications
Western
- Fatigue
- Digestive sluggishness
- Oral discomfort
Syndromes
- Mild gastrointestinal atony
- Oral hygiene support
TCM
- Abdominal distension
- Poor digestion
- Intestinal parasites
Syndromes
- Spleen Qi deficiency
- Dampness accumulation
- Parasitosis
Ayurveda
- Poor digestion
- Loss of appetite
- Helminthic infections
Syndromes
- Kapha imbalance
- Vata digestive disorders
- Worm infestation (Krimi)
Unani
- Weak digestion
- Intestinal worms
- Excess salivation
Syndromes
- Imtela-ye-Meda (abdominal fullness)
- Masakin (weakness)
Constituents & Mechanisms
The seeds contain the alkaloid arecoline, polyphenols, tannins, flavonoids, and other alkaloids contributing to the stimulant and astringent properties.
Dosage & Preparations
- Chewed fresh or dried nut in betel quid
- Powdered seed 0.5-2 g as a digestive stimulant
- Extracts standardized for arecoline for research use
Safety & Contraindications
Use with caution due to risks of oral submucous fibrosis and oral cancers with chronic consumption. Contraindicated in pregnancy, oral mucosal lesions, hypertension, and cardiac disease. Potential additive effects with CNS stimulants and interactions with hypertension medications may occur.
Astrological Correspondences
No reliably sourced planetary or elemental rulers identified.
Selected References
- Areca catechu L. – Plant Resources of South-East Asia (PROSEA) Foundation, 2007
- WHO Monographs on Selected Medicinal Plants – Volume 2: Areca catechu, WHO, 2004
- Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, 2011
- Pharmacological and toxicological profile of Areca catechu (betel nut): A review, Singh et al., Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2019