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Effect of chewing betel nut on measurements of salivary progesterone and estradiol
Author(s) -
la Mora Alejandra Núñezde,
Chatterton Robert T.,
Mateo Esnar T.,
Jesmin Fahmida,
Bentley Gillian R.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
american journal of physical anthropology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.146
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1096-8644
pISSN - 0002-9483
DOI - 10.1002/ajpa.20513
Subject(s) - nut , betel , saliva , basal (medicine) , hormone , radioimmunoassay , medicine , dentistry , physiology , traditional medicine , structural engineering , insulin , engineering
Abstract The measurement of steroids in saliva is both simple and non‐invasive and has been widely used in field and clinical‐based research. The observance of particular cultural practices by some populations, however, may hamper accurate hormonal analyses. The present study evaluated the effects of one such practice—the chewing of betel nut—on the accurate measurement of salivary progesterone and estradiol. A time series experiment was conducted among Bangladeshi women who are regular users of betel nut. Salivary steroids were analyzed by radioimmunoassay in samples collected prior to and then 30, 60, 120, and 240 min following betel quid use. Results show no significant difference between basal steroid levels and those obtained 60, 120, and 240 min after chewing betel nut. We conclude that with specific collection protocols that take into account time since chewing, salivary steroid analyses can be undertaken in populations among whom the practice of chewing betel nut is endemic. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.