Effects of areca nut consumption on cell differentiation of osteoblasts, myoblasts, and fibroblasts

Areca nut is used worldwide as a hallucinogenic addicting drug along the tropical belt. Arecoline, a toxic compound, is the most important alkaloid in areca nuts. The adverse effects of oral uptake and chewing of areca nut are well known. For example, the possibility of cancer caused by chewing areca nuts is widely discussed. Chewing areca nut has other adverse effects on other organs, including abnormal cell differentiation, oral cancer, and several other diseases. The use of areca nut is also associated with low birthweight. Skeletal musculature is the largest organ in the body and is attached to the bones. During embryo development, the differentiation of bone and muscle cells is critical. In this article, we reviewed the effects of areca nut and arecoline on embryonic cell differentiation, particularly osteoblasts, myoblasts, and fibroblasts.