Areca catechu (PugIPHALA)

Kramuka mentioned under Salasaradi and Syamadi ganas by Sushruta is considered to be Lodhra but not Puga. Puga is otherwise extensively described in the Ayurvedic literature and Sarnghdara quoted it as an example for Vikasi dravya.

Botanical Description – It is a tree (30 m high) bearing the leaves at the top of the main stem. It grows in the temperate and humid conditions.

Major Chemical Constituents– Arecoline, arecailine, guvacoline, guvacine, arecolidine, (+) catechin,

Part Used– Fruit

Dosage– Powder 1-3 g.

Research–

(1) The alcoholic extract of the nuts exerted distinct oxytocic activity on isolated rat uterus at a dose of 100 mcg (Garg & Garg, 1970).

(2) The alkaline extract was found to be most potent in intensity as well as duration of vasoconstriction followed by alcoholic extract. The aqueous and acid extracts had mild activity (Sirsi et al., 1963a).

(3) Arecoline, an ighantu isolated from the nuts (1 mg/kg, i.p.) induced slight sedation in rats at the end of five minutes in “maze learning” technique (Sirsi, 1967).

(4) The action of the extract of nuts an human blood leucocytes in vitro revealed that the extract had a depressing effect on normal phagocytic function (Broker and Bhat, 1952).