Uses and side-effects of Betel Nuts(Supari)

Betel nuts are the seeds or kernel of the tree Areca catechu, a species of palm tree. This tree is native to Malaysia. In India, it is cultivated along the coasts of Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam and Maharashtra.

Supari Pak is an ayurvedic herbal medicine for curing leucorrhoea is made from betel nuts. It is very useful in woman’s physical weakness, facial paleness and anemia. It remedies back-ache, pain in shins, anxiety and uneasiness.

Betel nut is one of the oldest known masticatories that is used either alone or with many other ingredients. These can be used as fresh, dried, boiled, roasted or fermented. In India, it is commonly known as Supari and added to pan with other ingredients like slaked lime, catechu, gulkand, etc. The chewing of Paan is very common in India.

Chewing of betel nuts for prolonged period is hazardous for health. It can cause diabetes, high blood pressure and heart diseases.

But in Ayurveda, the dried ripe seeds, known as Puga are used for the treatment of diseases like leucorrhoea, tastelessness, oral diseases, etc. One of the famous drug containing betel nut as ingredient is Puga Khanda.

Latin name: Areca catechu Linn.

Family: Palmae;Arecaceae.

Vernacular names

• Sanskrit: Kramuka, Ghona, Puga
• Assamese: Tamol, Tamul
• Bengali: Supari
• English: Areca nut, Betel nut
• Gujrati: Sopari
• Hindi: Supari, Chr alia
• Kannada: Adiks
• Kashmiri: Supari, Spari
• Malayalam: Adakku, Pakku
• Marathi: Supari, Pophal
• Oriya: Gua
• Punjabi: Supari, Spari
• Siddha/Tamil: Kottai Pakku, Kamugu, Pakku, Pakhumaram
• Telugu: Paka chekka, Vakka
• Urdu: Fufal, Choalia, Supari
• Trade names: Areca nut, Betel nut, Supari

Distribution

Cultivated in the coastal regions of India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and other tropical and subtropical countries.

Tree description

Tall, slender, unbranched palm with a crown of leaves; stem annulate; leaves pinnate with a conspicuous sheet;flowers in spadix, male many at the upper portion, female much longer and a few at the base;fruits are singleseeded berries with flesh and fibrous pericarp and a stony seed, 3.8-5 em long, smooth, orange or scarlet when ripe. Flowering: August-January;Fruiting: about a year later.

Ayurvedic properties and action of Puga or Supari

1. Rasa (Taste): kashaya/Astringent,
2. Guna (Characteristics): Guru/Heavy, Ruksha/Dry
3. Virya (Potency): Sheet/ Cool,
4. Vipaka (Post Digestive Effect): Katu/Pungent
5. Effects on Tridoshas (Humor): Balances kapha and pitta.

Constituents

Betel nuts contain catechin, tannins (15%), Gallic acid fat, gum and alkaloids like arecoline (0.07%), arecaine (1%). Arecaidine and guvacoline, guvacine and choline are present in trace amount.

Medicinal uses of Betel nut or Supari

The use of Areca nuts for therapeutic purpose is mentioned in many Ayurvedic treatise such as Charaka Samhita (useful in the diseases caused by bile), Sushruta Samhita (beneficial in the diseases caused by phlegm, but overuse may distort voice), Brahmavaivarta Purana (brushing the teeth with twig), Vagbhata and Bhavamista. It is a traditionally used to treat several diseases such as leucoderma, leprosy, anemia, and obesity. The dried nuts are stimulant, astringent and increases salivation. Here is given few traditional medicinal uses of pooga or betel nuts.

Leucorrhoea

Add 1 teaspoon betel nut powder in 500 ml water. Use this as vaginal douche.

Gum infection

1. Take one nut and burn it to obtain its ash. This should be mixed with 2 spoon clove powder and katha (1/4 cup). This preparation should be mixed with water and used for rinsing mouth.
2. Boil one nut in water and use the water for gargling.

Teeth yellowing

Char few nuts and pulverise them. This powder should be rubbed on the teeth.

Gum swelling

Take 2 teaspoon powdered nut and fry in ghee. Add ajwain, Kattha and sendha namak in equal amount. Mix and ground them. Mix some water and apply on inflammed areas.

Side-effects and Contraindications

1. Betel nuts regular use is harmful for health. It should be used in recommended dose only for medicinal purpose.
2. Its excessive chewing is harmful for teeth.
3. Use of betel nut is contraindicated in asthma (due to bronchoconstrictive effects of the alkaloid arecoline) and pregnancy (Abortifacient).
4. Due to increased incidence of oral cancer associated with betel chewing, it must not be used as masticatory.
5. The seeds are fatally toxic at 8-10 g, fluid extract at 3.5ml.

Ayurvedic Pharmacopeia recommends it safe dose as 1-2 grams in dried powder form for medicinal purpose.