A review of the traditional uses, pharmacology, and toxicology of areca nut

Areca nut, the fruit of A. catechu, is an important Chinese herbal medicine and is the first of China's "four southern medicines". The main chemical components are alkaloids, phenols, polysaccharides, amino acids, and terpenoids. The flowers, leaves, fruits and seeds of A. catechu contain high medicinal value. However, with the emergence of adverse reactions in people who chew areca nut, people have doubts about the safety of the use of areca nut.