What is betel nut?

[1] Areca catechu

Scientific name: betel nut.

Alias: Betelnut Jade, Penang Gate, Penang South and Tsim Penang.

Family and genus: Palmae, Areca.

And betel nut, betel nut or Penang.

Seed of two different plants, chewed in South Asia and East India. It is estimated that110 people in the world have the habit of chewing betel nut. Areca catechu is the seed of Areca catechu. Areca catechu leaves are the leaves of betel leaves of Piperaceae. Betel nut is cultivated in India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines. The trunk has no branches, up to 12? 15m (40？ 50 nights), with a diameter of about 45 cm (18 inch). Ye Da, 6? Nine gathered at the top of the stem. The fruit is slightly smaller than an egg, with fiber skin and a seed, namely betel nut. The endosperm is hard with gray-brown spots. Eight o'clock? 1 1 Harvest the fruit before it is fully ripe, peel it, cook it, cut it into thin slices and dry it in the sun, and it will be dark brown or black after drying. When chewing, roll a little into the leaves and add a little lime to chew together to promote saliva secretion and release irritating alkaloids. Sometimes a little nutmeg, turmeric or other aromatic agents are added. As a result, a lot of brick-red saliva was produced, which dyed the mouth, lips and gums orange. But the teeth of betel nut chewers are not dyed black by betel nut juice, but artificially dyed black. Areca catechu is the raw material of catechu, and its main alkaloid is arecoline, which is used as an insect repellent by veterinarians.

[Edit this paragraph] Functions and features

(1) Plant features straight, cylindrical and unbranched trunk, DBH 10 ~ 15cm, height 10 ~ 13m. The stem has obvious annular leaf scars, young and dry green, and gradually turns gray with the growth of tree age. The leaves are clustered at the top of the stem, pinnately compound, 1.3 ~ 2 meters long, and the petiole is triangular and surrounds the stem. Leaflets are long lanceolate, and the surface is smooth and hairless. Spike, spathe yellow-green; Flowers unisexual, monoecious, perianth 6; Male flowers are in 2 rows, alternating at the top of inflorescence spikelets, with small and many flowers, about 2000; Female flowers are inserted at the base of inflorescence spikelets, with large and few flowers, about 250 ~ 550. The seed flower of Areca catechu has 6 staminodes and 3 osmanthus flowers, and the ovary is superior and one room. Nuts, ovoid; Seed 1, conical.

(2) Biological characteristics Areca catechu grows in tropical monsoon rain forest, forming the habit of loving temperature and being good at fertilizer. The optimum growth temperature is 25 ~ 20℃. 65438 06℃ defoliation; Fruit dropping at 5 ~ 6℃; At 3℃, leaves turn yellow and fruits turn black and fall off. Plants die seriously below-10℃. Generally, it grows better in low altitude areas. It prefers damp to stagnant water, and abundant and even rainfall is conducive to growth. Generally, it can grow in areas with annual rainfall 1200mm or more. The relative humidity of air is high (about 80%), which is stable for a long time and is beneficial to growth. Generally, the shading degree at seedling stage should be 50% ~ 60%, and the trees should be fully illuminated when they are mature. Soil is the key to the economic life of betel nut. I like to grow in sandy loam with thick soil layer, black top soil and rich organic matter, and red soil or yellow soil as the bottom soil. Generally, it blooms and bears fruit in 7-8 years after planting, with a full fruit-bearing period of 20-30 years, and the longest life span can reach more than 100 years. After the fruit is harvested, the seeds have the characteristic of ripening in the fruit. The germination rate of yellow ripe fruit is 64.3%. Fruit loses water and reduces germination rate. Accelerating germination indoors, the average daily temperature is 26.465438 0℃, the average daily temperature difference is 65438 0.8℃, and the germination rate is 98%.

[Edit this paragraph] Distribution

Mainly distributed in Central Africa and Southeast Asia, such as India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Malay Peninsula, New Guinea, Indonesia, Philippines, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and other countries. China has been introduced and cultivated for 1500 years, and it is widely cultivated in Hainan Province and Taiwan Province Province, and also cultivated in Guangxi, Yunnan, Fujian and other provinces (regions).

[Edit this paragraph] Specifications and grades of traditional Chinese medicine

At present, the specifications of betel nut are as follows:

Fine dry goods are oblate or conical. The surface is light yellow or brown. Solid quality. The cross section has gray-white and reddish-brown marbling. The taste is astringent and slightly bitter. 1000g 160. No give up, broken, impurities, moth-eaten, mildew.

Second class dry goods. It is oblate or conical. The surface is yellow or brownish yellow. Solid quality. The cross section has a marble-like gray-white and reddish-brown pattern. The taste is astringent and slightly bitter. Every 1000g 160 pieces, intermittent breakage and dead core shall not exceed 5%; Mild insect-eaten water exceeds 3%. No impurities and mildew.

[Edit this paragraph] Cultivation techniques

1. Land selection and soil preparation should choose areas without low temperature and humidity and loose and fertile soil. Contour terraces around mountains with 3-meter row spacing can be opened with a large slope. The slope inclination of terraced fields is about 65438+05. 1 ~ 2 months before planting, dig a pit with a spacing of 2 meters. Let the soil fully weather. The hole is 50 cm wide and 40 cm deep, and soil mixed fertilizer or manure 10 kg is applied to each hole as the base fertilizer, and the surface soil is returned to the hole. In addition, you can also plant fast-growing Eupatorium odoratum or leguminous plants between rows as temporary shade to inhibit weeds and maintain soil moisture.

2. Breeding method

(1) The seed mother tree should be 15 ~ 30 years old, with normal fruits, no pests and diseases, no less than 300 fruits per plant, no less than 3 receptacles, more than 8 leaves and short internodes at the upper part of the stem. In general, it is appropriate to choose the fruits of the second and third supports as seeds. Mature fruits are oval and oval, and golden yellow is the best when ripe.

(2) Germination accelerating method is mostly used in germination accelerating areas. Expose the fruit in the sun 1 ~ 2 days after harvesting, and peel it off 1/4. Then pile seeds on the selected ground. Generally, the seed thickness is less than 20 cm. When there are a lot of seeds, leave a pedestrian walkway every 1 ~ 1.2 m, which is convenient for watering, inspection and other management work. After stacking, cover with a layer of straw to keep warm. After 15 ~ 20 days, check the germination of 1 time every 7 ~ 8 days, and pick out the germinated seeds for seedling raising. The average daily temperature of seedbed is lower than 36.65438 0℃. The daily maximum temperature should be lower than 36.5. If the above temperature is exceeded, the fruit may rot.

(3) Raising seedlings

① The nutrition bag is made of plastic film, with a length of 25cm and a width of 18cm. There are four small holes under the bag, which are breathable and permeable. Nutrient soil and decomposed cow dung are evenly mixed according to the ratio of 1: 1, accounting for 4/5 of the bag, and then the bag is filled with river sand to avoid hardening of the surface soil. Each bag is filled with 1 seed, soaked thoroughly and kept moist.

② Sandy loam or loam with loose and fertile soil near the water source is selected as the nursery, manure or pond mud is plowed and raked, and evenly mixed with soil to make a border, with a length of 4-5m, a width of 1m and a height of 12- 15cm, and a layer of 4 is paved on the border. Dig holes according to the row spacing of 20 cm× 30 cm, each hole 1 seed. When the first leaflet is unfolded, dilute human excrement or ammonium sulfate is applied 1 ~ 2 times a month, and weeding and ridging are carried out 3 ~ 4 times a year.

③ Areca catechu seedlings grow about 1 year, with a height of 50 ~ 60 cm, and can be planted with 5 ~ 6 leaves. Hainan is planted in February-March in spring or 8-65438+1October in autumn, and Yunnan is planted in May-June in warm and rainy season. It is best to plant on cloudy days and water it 1 ~ 2 days before planting. When planting, remove the nutrition bag, cover the grass, water the roots, and keep it cool and the soil moist.

3. Tian Tuan management

(1) Young trees should be weeded 2-4 times a year and ridged.

(2) Top dressing mainly consists of organic fertilizer and chemical fertilizer. Apply fertilizer 1 time every quarter for young children, dig pits or furrows around the crown, and apply fertilizer alternately in four directions. Apply about 5 kg of human manure or 25-50 kg of ammonium sulfate to each plant, mix 5 kg of green manure, cover with soil and water. Fertilize 1 time every year in spring and autumn after 3rd instar and before flowering and fruiting, and apply green manure or manure 10 kg per plant, mixed ammonium sulfate100 ~150g, and calcium superphosphate150 ~ 250g. Fertilize flowering and fruiting trees 1 time in March and1October every year, and apply green manure or manure 10 kg per plant each time, and add urea100 ~150g, calcium superphosphate 250 ~ 500g and potassium chloride/kloc-0.

(3) betel nut drainage irrigation likes humid environment, but don't accumulate water to prevent root rot.

(4) Three years after shading planting is the young age of betel nut, which needs shading and moisturizing. Shrub medicinal materials can be used in intercropping crops, but fertilizer should be added to ensure its vigorous growth.

4. Pests and diseases and their control

(1) Leaf spot mainly includes the following types: Areca leaf spot bacteria. And polychaete leaf spot.

(2) Fruit rot (..) and Fusarium (..) caused olive pedicels to brown rot, leading to fruit drop. Prevention and control as above.

(3) Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. Harmful to ears and fruits. Prevention and control methods: remove fallen fruits and leaves and burn them centrally. Spraying Fumei and Domaine to control anthracnose in young fruit and green fruit.

(4) Phytophthora is harmful to seedlings. Prevention and control methods: control soil moisture; Irrigation with 50% carbendazim wettable powder for 800 ~ 1000 times during the occurrence period; Pull out the diseased plant immediately and disinfect the diseased spot with lime.

5] Tirataba Rufai Weina Walker is the main pest of betel nut. Control methods: Clear the garden, and apply 0.25kg/ plant of 3% carbofuran granules in March and April in spring, dig a semicircular ditch with a depth of about 10cm in the rhizosphere, cover it with soil and tamp it, or spray it twice in April, May, August and September, with the dosage of Bt emulsion 100 times and 3% neem.

[Edit this paragraph] Harvest and processing

1. Generally speaking, harvesting is divided into two periods. In the first period, olives were harvested from 1 1 to 12 and processed into dried ham. The best quality is to harvest olives with long oval or oval shape, persistent calyx on the stem and immature slender seeds inside. In the second stage, ripe fruits are harvested from March to June to process jade. It is a good product to collect round or oval orange or bright red ripe fruits, cut open ripe fruits with full seeds and process them into Yu Lang.

The second step process

(1) The ripe fruits in Yu Lang are dried in the sun for 1 ~ 2 days, then slowly dried in the oven with dry firewood, and taken out for cooling in about 7 ~ 10 days. The fruits are mashed and dried in Yu Lang for 1 ~ 2 days. Ordinary 100 kg of fresh fruit can be processed into 17 ~ 19 kg of Yu Lang.

(2) Picking olives, removing branches, then boiling the fruits in a pot for about 30 minutes, taking them out to dry, and then baking them in an oven with wet firewood. Bake for about 2 ~ 3 days, stir fry 1 time, turn twice. It takes about 8 ~ 10 days to insert a stick from the top to the bottom. If it is inserted, the bottom layer is dry. Then it will be taken out and turned into jade. Generally 100 kg of fresh fruit can be roasted to 20 ~ 25 kg.

(3) Pericarpium Arecae Cut the ripe fruit in half, peel it off, dry it in the sun, and dry it loosely.

(4) Areca catechu flowers are made by drying unopened male flowers. It is best to use khaki or light green.

[Edit this paragraph] function

Seeds can be used as medicine, which has the effects of killing insects, breaking accumulation, relieving qi and promoting blood circulation. It is one of the four famous southern medicines in China. Indications: Insect accumulation, food stagnation, qi stagnation, dysentery, snail drive, external treatment of glaucoma, chewing and eating have exciting effects.

Areca nut contains many nutrients and beneficial substances needed by human body, such as fat, areca oil, alkaloids, catechins, choline and so on. Areca catechu has a unique function of preventing dysentery, which is the medicine fruit of doctors in past dynasties and is also known as "Xizudan". Because boils are generally related to irregular diet and qi stagnation, betel nut has been widely concerned for its medicinal properties because it can reduce qi, promote digestion and resolve phlegm.

Herbal Name: Areca catechu

Commonly used insect repellent. It is the dried and mature seed of areca catechu, a palm plant. Location: Indonesia, Malaysia, China, Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, Yunnan and other provinces. Betel nut tastes bitter, pungent and warm. Meridian of stomach and large intestine. The efficacy of killing insects and promoting digestion, reducing qi and benefiting water. Indications: Insect accumulation, such as roundworm, tapeworm, pinworm, ginger worm, etc. , indigestion, epigastric pain, edema, beriberi, malaria and other diseases. Modern pharmacological experiments have proved that betel nut has the functions of insect repellent, antivirus and antifungal.

Some people have been beaten a lot. This is a normal phenomenon.

[Edit this paragraph] Source

It is the seed of betel nut, a palm plant.

[Edit this paragraph] Acquisition

Harvest the fruits when they are ripe in winter and spring. Pick the fruit, peel off the skin, take out the seeds and dry them in the sun.

[Edit this paragraph] Medicinal materials

The dried seeds are conical or oblate, with a height of 1.5 ~ 3cm and a base diameter of 2 ~ 3cm. The surface is yellow-brown or yellow-brown, rough, with light-colored reticular concave lines, and occasionally silver-spotted endocarp attached.

[Edit this paragraph] Edible

Betel nut can be eaten and chewed with salt water. It is normal for the first chewer to have a red face and chest tightness.

[Edit this paragraph] Toxicity

Areca nut itself is carcinogenic. In August 2003, the International Center for Research on Cancer (IARC) published the monograph "Areca nut itself is the first carcinogen", that is, Areca nut is carcinogenic even without additives.

Excessive arecoline can cause salivation, vomiting, diuresis, drowsiness and convulsion, even chest tightness, sweating, dizziness and shock, which should not be swallowed. If it is caused by oral administration, you can gastric lavage with potassium permanganate solution and inject atropine.

harm

According to medical statistics, betel nut chewing is closely related to oral cancer. For example:

1. More than 80% of oral cancer patients in Taiwan Province Province have the habit of chewing betel nut.

2. Due to the increase of betel nut chewing population in recent years, the incidence of oral cancer is increasing year by year.

People who chew betel nuts are 20 times more likely to develop oral cancer than ordinary people.

It can be seen that chewing betel nut has a great influence on our health.

Secondly, spitting betel nut juice and residue everywhere will not only affect the city appearance, but also be unsightly. Some unscrupulous betel nut manufacturers often try their best to attract customers, especially "betel nut beauty" can be seen everywhere, which has a bad influence on children's physical and mental health and good social customs.

Moreover, because of the high profit of selling betel nuts, some people plant betel nuts on slopes that are not suitable for planting betel nuts, resulting in soil erosion. When the typhoon comes, it is easy to produce mudslides and cause losses to people's lives and property.

(1) Common hazards:

Chewing betel nut will not only make teeth blacken, wear and tear, shake and gum atrophy, but also cause periodontal disease, oral submucosal fibrosis and oral leukoplakia, and also lead to oral cancer. According to the survey, 88% patients with oral cancer have the habit of chewing betel nut.

(2) Serious health hazards:

1. Precancerous lesions induced by areca catechu:

(1) Oral submucosal fibrosis;

Common in buccal mucosa, followed by jaw area. The oral mucosa will have burning sensation, ulcer and whitening, which will eventually lead to difficulty in opening mouth and swallowing. Some patients with oral submucosal fibrosis will become oral cancer.

(2) Oral leukoplakia:

Common in buccal mucosa, tongue, floor of mouth and lip angle. Mucosal leukoplakia will gradually change from innocence to mixed white, and some patients with leukoplakia will become oral cancer.

2. Oral cancer:

Areca nut, commonly known as Ziziphus jujuba seed, contains arecoline, which is carcinogenic. The added "lime" helps to fight cancer. The World Health Organization (WHO) came to the conclusion after consulting the literature related to betel nut and cancer;

(1) Chewing tobacco and betel nut have been identified as the cause of human cancer.

(2) Smoking and chewing betel nut can easily lead to oral cancer and throat cancer.

For your health, please don't chew betel nut. For example, smokers should quit, because the combination of the two is more likely to cause oral cancer, laryngeal cancer, pharyngeal cancer and esophageal cancer, and smoking and chewing betel nut combined with drinking will have a stronger carcinogenic effect.

3. Tooth damage

Because of frequent chewing action, it exceeds the normal load, resulting in tooth occlusion (wear) and gum jitter.

The population chewing betel nut is growing rapidly, and it is estimated that Taiwan Province Province has exceeded 2.6 million. The average age group of betel nut chewers also showed a downward trend. The universality of betel nut chewing has also expanded from low social and economic status and working class to white-collar intellectuals. Areca catechu is Hong Chunzu's favorite and "green gold" in the eyes of farmers, but it is the biggest killer of people's health and water resources in Taiwan Province Province. According to statistics, more than 50,000 hectares of betel nut orchards in Taiwan Province Province (equivalent to the size of two Taipei cities) not only cause about 4 billion metric tons of water loss every year, but also seriously damage forest land. Moreover, Chinese people spend more than 90 billion yuan a year on eat areca, which is equivalent to the cost of half a highway, which is quite amazing. What is even more frightening is its carcinogenic and cancer-promoting effects, which makes oral cancer in China become the top ten causes of cancer death. Therefore, how to promote the prevention and control of betel nut and reduce Chinese people's hobby of chewing betel nut has become one of the priorities of health units.

Physical harm: In addition to oral diseases and oral cancer, excessive consumption can also produce poisoning symptoms, such as excitement, dull eyes, trembling all over, unsteady walking, strange or rude behavior, etc. In addition, it can also lead to acute mental illness, including auditory hallucination, self-expansion, obsessive-compulsive delusion, delirium and so on.

Economic hazard: spitting betel nut juice will be prohibited from being fined; Eat areca is expensive, increasing the burden of expenditure; Medical expenses.

Social harm: if you eat it for a long time, your teeth will turn black and your mouth will turn red, which is quite indecent.

Environmental pollution: Spitting betel nut juice everywhere not only pollutes the environment and is unsightly, but also makes the bacteria in the spit betel nut juice drift with the wind and be inhaled into the public lungs.

Soil and water conservation: Because Areca catechu has shallow roots, large-scale planting will seriously damage soil and water conservation.

[Edit this paragraph] concoct

Betel nut: remove impurities, soak in clear water, change water according to the temperature until it is soaked thoroughly, pick it up, slice it and dry it.

Stir-fried betel nut: put betel nut slices into a pot, stir-fry with slow fire until the color changes slightly, and take them out to cool.

Burning betel nut: when the betel nut slices are fried to brown by fire, spray clear water and take them out to cool.

[Edit this paragraph] Sexual taste

There is bitterness in bitterness and warmth in warmth.

Character; Role; letter

It is quasi-circular. The surface has a gray and brown marble texture. Hard and brittle and brittle. Slight breathing, astringency and bitterness.

Meridian enters spleen, stomach and large intestine.

[Edit this paragraph] Function instruction

Insecticidal, accumulation-breaking, qi-lowering and water-benefiting. The crux of the problem is food stagnation, abdominal distension and abdominal pain, diarrhea, malaria, edema, beriberi and phlegm addiction.

[Edit this paragraph] Textual research

From Li Dang's Medical Records

1. "Southern Vegetation": Betel nut, the tree is more than ten feet high, the skin is like paulownia, the knot is like bamboo, the lower part is not big, the upper branches are not small, and the pavilion is straight. If it is one, there is no show in the forest. There are leaves at the top of the terminal, like bananas, and the stripes (veins) are broken. Looking up at cockroaches, such as bamboo rafts with bananas; The wind moves alone, like a feather fan sweeping the sky. There are dozens of rooms under the leaves, which are as big as peaches and plums. Naturally, the spines are heavy and tired, but the Royal Guards are actually. It tastes bitter. Cut its skin, lick its skin, it is as familiar as it is, as strong as dried dates. If you eat rattan and ancient ash together, it will be smooth and beautiful. Leave Lin Yi.

2. Lei Gong's theory of baking: betel nut sits well, its heart is firm, its text is broken like running water, and it is splendid and wonderful. Those who are half white and half black, guilty, don't take medicine.

3. Tao Hongjing: There are three or four kinds of betel nuts: small and sweet when they leave Jiaozhou; South of Guangzhou, it is big and astringent; There are also big pig betel nuts; Think of it as medicine. Small, laity called betel nut grandson, can also be eaten.

4. "Outline": A big belly comes out of the mountain, and southern Yunnan is a kind of betel nut, which has a flat belly and astringent taste, unlike betel nut, which has a long taste and good ears. The so-called pig betel nut is awkward. Beggars' gangs are also different from local products, and there is not much difference between people today. According to Liu Yao's "Ji Biao Ji", making friends with a wide range of elders is called betel nut, which is white, tender and old. It is eaten with rattan and tile house ash to eliminate furuncle and collect its skin as medicine. Black outside the skin and black inside. In Yunnan, each branch has three or two hundred betel nuts. When you are young, cut them open and eat them with a piece of betel nut leaf and clam powder, which will reduce the astringency. From this point of view, big belly and betel nut can be used together, but the strength is slightly worse than betel nut.

5. "New Edition of Materia Medica": Betel nut, bitter in taste, warm and healthy in nature, yin in the middle and yang in the middle, and non-toxic. It enters the spleen, stomach, large intestine and lungs. Eliminate Shui Gu, eliminate phlegm addiction, stop heartache and kill three worms. After treatment, it is as heavy as god, falling under the extreme of qi and breaking the stagnation of qi. If you eat too much, you will feel extremely angry in your chest. Good at eliminating miasma, Cantonese people eat it from the beginning. The ancients suspected that it consumed the true qi and advised people to adjust their stomachs and abstain from eating betel nuts. There are also opinions, but they are not general. In the smoky land of Lingnan, the poisonous gas of snakes and insects breathes through the hot air of inflammation and mountain streams, while the water gas of Shan Lan combines with others and invades people, and some people are immediately full of boredom and dizziness. If it is not betel nut, how to solve it quickly? The way of heaven and earth is poisonous, and it must be saved. Betel nut felt the supreme spirit of heaven and earth, that is, it was born between Guangdong and Guangxi, so it saved the people of Guangdong.