Macro-, micro-, and trace element distributions in areca nut, husk, and soil of northeast India

Bioactive Components of Areca Nut: An Overview of Their Positive Impacts Targeting Different Organs

Areca catechu L. is a widely cultivated tropical crop in Southeast Asia, and its fruit, areca nut, has been consumed as a traditional Chinese medicinal material for more than 10,000 years, although it has recently attracted widespread attention due to potential hazards. Areca nut holds a significant position in traditional medicine in many areas and ranks first among the four southern medicines in China. Numerous bioactive compounds have been identified in areca nuts, including alkaloids, polyphenols, polysaccharides, and fatty acids, which exhibit diverse bioactive functions, such as anti-bacterial, deworming, anti-viral, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumor effects. Furthermore, they also display beneficial impacts targeting the nervous, digestive, and endocrine systems. This review summarizes the pharmacological functions and underlying mechanisms of the bioactive ingredients in areca nut. This helps to ascertain the beneficial components of areca nut, discover its medicinal potential, and guide the utilization of the areca nut.

Genetic and epigenetic instability induced by betel quid associated chemicals

Over the years, betel quid chewing and tobacco use have attracted considerable interest as they are implicated as the most likely causative risk factors of oral and esophageal cancers. Although areca nut use and betel quid chewing may lead to apoptosis, chronic exposure to areca nut and slaked lime may promote pre-malignant and malignant transformation of oral cells. The putative mutagenic and carcinogenic mechanisms may involve endogenous nitrosation of areca and tobacco alkaloids as well as the presence of direct alkylating agents in betel quid and smokeless tobacco. Metabolic activation of carcinogenic N-nitrosamines by phase-I enzymes is required not only to elicit the genotoxicity via the reactive intermediates but also to potentiate the mutagenicity with the sporadic alkylations of nucleotide bases, resulting in the formation of diverse DNA adducts. Persistent DNA adducts provides the impetus for genetic and epigenetic lesions. The genetic and epigenetic factors cumulatively influence the development and progression of disorders such as cancer. Accumulation of numerous genetic and epigenetic aberrations due to long-term betel quid (with or without tobacco) chewing and tobacco use culminates into the development of head and neck cancers. We review recent evidence that supports putative mechanisms for mutagenicity and carcinogenicity of betel quid chewing along with tobacco (smoking and smokeless) use. The detailed molecular mechanisms of the extent of accumulation and patterns of genetic alterations, indicative of the prior exposure to carcinogens and alkylating agents because of BQ chewing and tobacco use, have not yet been elucidated.

Determination of Multi Elements in Tobacco Plant of Northeast India by Neutron Activation Analysis and Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

Even when cultivated in uncontaminated soils, tobacco plant has higher propensity to extract and accumulate trace elements. The concentrations (mass fractions) of essential elements (K, Ca, Mg, Na, Cl, Mn, Fe, Cu, and Zn) and 28 non-essential elements in tobacco plant (leaves, stem, and root) of Northeast India and their respective soils were quantitatively measured. Hg mass fraction in all samples analyzed were found to be < 10 mg/kg. The heavy element mass fractions of tobacco are weakly correlated to different soil parameters. The bioconcentration factor values indicated that Cd (7) is selectively absorbed and translocated in the tobacco leaves compared to Zn (1.7), Cu (1.5), Ni (0.12), and Pb (0.1). Under acidic soil conditions, tobacco plant efficiently absorbed and translocated Cl- ion with great ease, whereas it may be a very low accumulator of rare-earth elements. The mass fractions of Mn, Cu, Sb, Cs, Rb, and Pb are very similar to the "reference plant," whereas significantly higher mass fractions of Al, Sc, Ti, Zr, Hf, Ta, Th, and U are present in the roots of tobacco plant relative to the "reference plant." Principal component analysis has revealed that Northeast Indian tobacco can be clearly differentiated from other varieties of tobaccos used in different countries because of their element profiles.

Health risk assessment for heavy metal accumulation in leafy vegetables grown on tannery effluent contaminated soil

Accumulation of metals (Cr, Zn, Ni, Cd, and Cu) in leafy vegetables cultivated on tannery effluent contaminated soil and agricultural land soil were determined with an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). The values of risk factors for the human population were studied, where metals were transferred from tannery effluent to plants via effluent contaminated soil and finally, transmitted to human body through the consumption of these metal accumulated leafy vegetables. Leafy vegetables, namely Stem amaranths (Amaranthus lividus), Spinach (Spinacia oleracea), Red amaranths (Amaranthus gangeticus), Jute mallows (Corchorus capsularis), Water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica), and Malabar spinach (Basella alba) were cultivated on the soils collected from downstream of Hazaribagh tannery area and Keraniganj agricultural land. The study revealed that the metal contents in contaminated soil exceeded the permissible limits recommended by WHO/DoE. Tannery effluent contaminated soil was found more polluted than the agricultural land soil. Metal contents in leafy vegetables cultivated on contaminated soil were higher than that of agricultural soil and exceeded the permissible limit, particularly in the case of Cr (125.50–168.99 mg/kg Dw) and Cd (0.19–0.83 mg/kg Dw). Metal content order was found as Cr>Zn>Ni>Cu>Cd for contaminated soil and Zn>Cr>Cu>Ni>Cd for agricultural land soil. The metal accumulation and translocation were found in vegetables in the order of Spinach>Water spinach>Malabar spinach>Jute mallows>Red amaranths>Stem amaranths. The analyses also revealed that the metal translocation rate in the plants of contaminated soil was higher than that of non-contaminated agricultural soil. The values of each risk index exceeded 1 in case of vegetables cultivated in contaminated soil. Therefore, the possible threat of chronic and carcinogenic diseases emerged if those polluted vegetables would be consuming as daily diet.

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Evaluation of translocation of metals from soil to edible parts in plants.

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Assessment of possible health risk due to consumption of heavy metal accumulated vegetables.

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Higher concentration of heavy metals in soil samples yields to a higher translocation of metals into plants from soil.

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Possibilities of potential health risk may arise upon consuming the leafy vegetables grown in contaminated soil.