Arecoline
Aliases: Arecolin, Arecaline, Arecholine, Betel nut alkaloid
Categories
Summary
One average areca nut (~2 g) contains ~5-8 mg arecoline. Calcium hydroxide or slaked lime is traditionally added to basify saliva and improve buccal absorption, but greatly increases oral carcinogen formation. Chronic areca nut use is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by IARC with strong evidence for oral cancer, submucous fibrosis, and systemic health effects. Commercial 10 mg HBr products provide cleaner stimulation than traditional betel quids but carry cancer risk with long-term use. First-aid for cholinergic excess: 0.5-1 mg atropine IV or oral diphenhydramine, fluids, and monitoring.
Dose Information
Light
Common
Strong
Heavy
Onset, Duration & After-effects
| ROA | Onset | Peak | Offset | After Effects |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buccal (Chewed Betel Quid) | 2-5 min | 12-42 min | 30-90 min | 1-3 hrs |
| Oral (Swallowed Arecoline Hbr Solution / Capsule) | 15-25 min | 12-42 min | 30-90 min | 1-3 hrs |
| Sublingual / Buccal (10 Mg Huny Mint Or Lozenge) | 2-5 min | 12-42 min | 30-90 min | 1-3 hrs |
| Vaporized / Nebulized E-Liquid | 1 min | 12-42 min | 30-90 min | 1-3 hrs |
Tolerance
Build-up
develops over days to weeks of regular use
Reset
3–7 days for acute tolerance; longer for full reset
Effects
Positive
- Stimulation
- Pain Relief
Negative
- Nausea
- Jaw tremor
- Headache
- Increased saliva production
- GI peristalsis
- Bradycardia
- Muscle fasciculation
- Body Odor Alteration
Positive
- Enhanced concentration
- Mild euphoria
- Cognitive enhancement
- Alertness enhancement
- Dream Potentiation
- Memory Enhancement
- Focus Enhancement
- Wakefulness
Negative
- Anxiety
- Talkativeness
Positive
- Acuity Enhancement
- Bodily Control Enhancement
- Visual Acuity Enhancement
Negative
- Warm facial flushing
- Light sensitivity
- Appetite Suppression
- Appetite suppression
- Olfactory Intensification
- Drifting
- Internal hallucination