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Areca catechu L.
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English Name |
Betelnut Palm, Betel-nut Palm, Areca Palm, Catechu Palm, Areca-nut Palm, Pinang, Catechu, Areca, Areca Nut, Betel Nut, Betel Palm |
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Latin name |
Areca catechu L. |
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Family & Genus |
Arecaceae, Areca |
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Description |
Evergreen trees, up to 17m or more, stem erect, no branches. Leaves 1.3-2m, pinnatisect, lobes linear, or linear-lanceolate, 30-70cm long, apex irregular fission; petioles three edge-shaped, with long sheath. Flowers unisexual and hermaphrodite; spadix borne under clustered leaves, multi-branched, formed to conic, base with yellow-green spathe; male flowers small and numerous, borne at upper part of branches; female flowers relatively large and less, borne at common rachis or branch base, inferior ovary, 1-chambered. Nuts ovate, red, with persistent calyx and petals. Flowering: March to August, fruiting: November to May of the following year. |
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Distribution |
Growing on high-temperature regions. Distributed in Guangxi, Guangdong, Yunnan, Fujian and etc. The medicinal materials are mainly produced in Hainan. Cultivated in Guangxi, Yunnan, Fujian and Taiwan. |
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Part Used |
Medical part: pericarp. Chinese name: Dafupi. |
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Harvest & Processing |
Collected mature fruits in winter and spring, stripped pericarp, loosened, immersed, sundried, loosen again and removed epicarp. |
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Chemistry |
Mainly contains arecoline and a little catechin. |
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Pharmacology |
Beneficial to intestinal smooth muscle. |
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Properties & Actions |
Bitter, cold.Clearing heat, drying dampness, discharging fire, removing deficiency- heat, detoxifying and curing wound. |
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Indications & Usage |
Fullness of chest and abdomen, beriberi, edema.Internal: decocting, 10-15g; or made as pills. External: prepared decoction for washing, or triturated for application. |
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Examples |
1. Treat beriberi, edema, fullness and abdominal distension, difficult stool and urine: areca peel 1 liang (filed), betelnut palm 1 liang, aucklandia root 0.5 liang, five-leaved akebia 2 liang (filed), dwarf flowering cherry seed 1 liang (immerse to remove peels, slightly parched), white mulberry root 2 liang (filed), morning glory seed 2 liang (slightly parched). Pestle and sieve the above drugs into powders. Take 4 qian each time, a medium cup of water, 0.5 fen fresh ginger, 27 cun onion stalk, decoct to 60%, remove residues. Warm up and drink without considering time.
2. Treat retention of spleen qi in males and females, rheumatism, no movement of Qi, deficiency and edema of head and face, edema of four limbs, cardiac and abdominal distension, dyspnea with rapid respiration, costal distensioin, distension around umbilicus, diets affected, chronic infectious disease moving frequently, asthma after movement: acanthopanax gracilistylus peel, lycium bark, fresh ginger peel, areca peel, tuckahoo peel in equal amounts. Grind the above drugs into coarse powder. At each time, take 3 qian and water 1 cup and a half, decoct to 80%, remove residues, warm up and drink with no consideration of time. Avoid raw, cold, greasy and hard food.
3. Treat fistula, sore: decoct areca peel and wash. |
| Link to |
 Chinese Medicinal Material Images Database
Chinese Medicine Specimen Database
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Permanent URL：https://sys01.lib.hkbu.edu.hk/cmed/mpid/detail.php?herb_id=D00419 |
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