Distinct phenolic, alkaloid and antioxidant profile in betel quids from four regions of Indonesia

Abstract

Betel quid (BQ) is a chewing mixed package that mainly contains areca nut (AN), betel leaf (Leaf) or betel stem inflorescence (SI), and slaked lime, and is consumed with or without tobacco BQ chewing is common in South East Asia and has been strongly associated with malignant and potentially malignant diseases of the oral cavity. Alkaloids such as arecoline are often accounted for the carcinogenic potential of BQ, however the chemical composition of BQ has not been studied in detail. In the current study, we investigated the total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity (by mean of ferric reducing antioxidant power, FRAP), radical scavenging activity (DPPH test), polyphenolic profile and arecoline content in different components of BQ, namely AN, Leaf or SI, Husk, and blended BQ (BQ mix, containing AN, Leaf or SI and slaked lime). Samples were imported from 4 major regions of Indonesia, namely: Banda Aceh (BA), North Sumatra (NS), West Kalimantan (WK) and West Papua (WP). The highest TPC, FRAP, and DPPH values were detected in AN samples compared to other BQ components, while samples from WP region were of higher values compared to the other regions. High performance liquid chromatography—Mass Spectrometry (LC–MS) analysis showed that Husk contains the widest range of polyphenols, including hydroxybenzoic acids, hydroxycinnamic acids, flavanols, flavonols and stilbenes. Catechin and epicatechin were the main polyphenols detected in BQ, and they were present at the highest concentrations in WP–AN sample. Arecoline was detected in all AN and BQ mix samples and was significantly correlated with catechin and epicatechin, and significantly negatively correlated with p-hydroxybenzoic acid. Notably, arecoline concentration changed significantly when AN was blended in BQ mixtures. The current study is the first to extensively characterise the chemical composition of BQ and provides insight for a better understanding of the interactions of BQ alkaloids and phenolics in the development of oral submucous fibrosis and oral cancer.

Volatiles Composition and Antimicrobial Activities of Areca Nut Extracts Obtained by Simultaneous Distillation–Extraction and Headspace Solid-Phase Microextraction

“…There are different groups of identified compounds, and most of them belong to terpenes and higher fatty acids. Arecolin, a typical compound in areca nuts [25,26], has also been identified.…”

Molecular Mechanisms of Malignant Transformation of Oral Submucous Fibrosis by Different Betel Quid Constituents—Does Fibroblast Senescence Play a Role?

“…Arecoline concentration also varies geographically. In our recent study investigating the chemical composition of Indonesian BQ mixtures [8], the highest arecoline concentration was observed in the nuts and BQ mixtures from West Papua; BQ mixtures from other regions of the country showed a considerable reduction of arecoline concentration.…”

“…Areca nut, also known as betel nut, is the seed of the areca palm (Areca catechu) tree, typically grown in tropical regions. Alkaloids are one of the many well-known chemical compounds associated with areca nut [8], but other major chemical constituents have been known for decades and include crude fibre, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, tannins, flavonoids and minerals [9]. Importantly, the concentration of each chemical constituent varies between the raw and ripe nut.…”

“…However, areca nut is almost always consumed in a BQ package that contains additional components such as betel leaf or betel stem inflorescence and slaked lime, both of which can affect the carcinogenic potential of the quid [8,22]. In this regard, we have shown recently that the composition of BQ varies geographically and this may explain the different levels of pathogenicity detected in vivo [23].…”

Betel Nut Chewing Was Associated with Obstructive Lung Disease in a Large Taiwanese Population Study

“…Sazwi et al, for instance, showed that slaked lime impaired cytoprotective and anti-oxidant activities of betel nut [22]. To further analyze different components of betel nuts, Sari et al [23] conducted a study to investigate the characteristics of betel nuts and their relationship to oral malignancy. Their results showed that slaked lime increased pH value.…”