Not caffeine or nicotine: This is the stimulant that Thai communities were consuming over 4,000 years ago
A recent study discovered traces of a natural psychoactive agent believed to commonly used by ancient Thai communities.
There are countless psychoactive substances that grow and occur naturally in all corners of the globe. Among them, is the betel nut which has been consumed in parts of southeast Asia for thousands of years - a tradition which continues to this day. The most recent reports estimate that there are 600 million users worldwide.
What are Betel nuts?
Betel or areca nuts, are the bright red/orange-colored fruits of the Areca catechu palm tree which was originally native to the Philippines. Once harvested, the nuts are either chewed on their own or added to other ingredients, to make ‘betel quid’ (BQ): betel leaf, betel nut, slaked lime (calcium hydroxide), along with a mix of spices (cardamom, saffron, cloves, aniseed, turmeric, mustard seeds) and occasionally with tobacco. Preparation differs from country to country.
Betel quid chewing or BQ chewing has been used in Indian and Chinese folk medicine for centuries to treat diverse conditions from schizophrenia to digestive issues.
Effects of chewing Betel quid
The active psychoactive stimulant is arecoline, which affects the brain and central nervous system, producing hallucinations in some users. Regular use can also lead to habituation, addiction and withdrawal.
Reactions are diverse - studies have shown is that betel chewing increases heart rate, blood pressure, sweating and body temperature.
And there are health hazards associated with long term consumption of betel quid with tobacco, which is known to cause oral and head cancers.
Another side effect of BQ chewing is that it stains teeth, leaving them discolored (usually a red, brown or black stain) and causes gum disease.
Dental plaque analyzed for evidence of betel nut chewing
A research paper published last week in Frontiers in Environmental Archaeology, showed the earliest archaeological evidence of BQ consumption in Southeast Asia.
Thirty-six dental calculus samples were analyzed from the remains of six individuals (three males, two females, one undetermined) interred at Nong Ratchawat, a Neolithic burial site in central Thailand, which were collected in 2021.
Traces of arecoline and tobacco were present in the dental plaque of three samples, all from a adult female aged approximately 25. Given Nong Ratchawat’s antiquity (4,080–3,850 years old), researchers ascertained that betel nut chewing was practiced in Thailand around 4000 years ago or even longer.
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