Estimation of arecoline content of various forms of areca nut preparations by high-pressure thin-layer chromatography

Background: Areca nut and its commercial preparations such as pan masala have been causatively linked in the disorder oral submucous fibrosis (OSF). Arecoline, major alkaloid of areca nut, is involved in stimulating fibrosis through transforming growth factor beta pathway. Areca consumed in various forms and with additives alters the arecoline content of the nut. Aims: Estimation of levels of arecoline in various areca nut preparations consumed in the country (raw, boiled, and roasted) along with commercially prepared sample of areca nut (pan masala). Materials and Methods: Estimation and validation were performed by high-performance thin-layer chromatography system (CAMAG® Muttenz, Switzerland). Four samples of 5 g each of raw, roasted, boiled, and pan masala containing areca nuts were assessed. Pure arecoline was used for validation as a control. Three runs of each with interand intra-day validations were carried out as per established protocols. Results: Raw areca nut contains the highest concentration of arecoline (1.15 ± 0.008) followed by pan masala preparations (0.94 ± 0.006), least content in boiled areca nut (0.79 ± 0.009), while roasted variety exhibited an intermediate level (0.85 ± 0.007). Conclusions: Alteration of contents of the areca nut has great implications in its capacity to induce the potentially malignant disorder of OSF. The use of raw areca nuts in commercial preparations and well-known observations of greater incidence of the development of OSF and probable malignant transformation with these forms is probably related to their arecoline content.