Contents of Phenolics and Alkaloids in <i>Areca catechu</i> Linn. during Maturation

Abstract

Betel quid is a popular masticatory in Taiwan. Fresh unripe areca fruit, the fruit of Areca catechu Linn., is the main ingredient of betel quid. In this study, the information on the measurements of phenolics and alkaloids in A . catechu Linn. was obtained. The phenolics in A . catechu Linn. were mainly distributed in root followed by fresh unripe fruit, leaf, spike, and vein, while the contents of alkaloids in A . catechu Linn. were in the order of root, fresh unripe fruit, spike, leaf, and vein. Total amounts of phenolics in areca fruit were well correlated with the length and maturation, but those of alkaloids were only correlated with the maturation. Upside-down areca fruit, areca fruit growing upward (opposite to normal fruits, growing downward), contained a much higher amount of arecaidine (4 mg/g of fresh wt) than normal fresh unripe areca fruit (1.5 mg/g of fresh wt). Tender shoot, the upper young stem of the tree, cooked as a delicious syrup, contained a small amount of total phenolics (0.58 mg of gallic acid equiv/g of fresh wt), condensed tannin (0.85 mg of catechin equiv/g of fresh wt), and total alkaloids (2.38 mg/g of fresh wt). Keywords: Areca catechu Linn.; phenolics; alkaloids; areca fruit; maturation; upside-down areca fruit; tender shoot