The
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), an intergovernmental agency
affiliated to WHO of the UN, published its report on the carcinogenic hazards
of arecoline in 2021 (Vol. 128). Various studies have shown that Arecoline is the
most important alkaloid among four major alkaloids present in areca nut, due to
its role in modulating many physiological functions upon human consumption.
About 20 experts drawn from 11 countries including India were part of the “working
group”. The working group assessed the following,
1.
The strength of the available evidence on that arecoline
can cause cancer in humans, based on three streams of evidence: on cancer in
humans, on cancer in experimental animals, and on mechanistic evidence (absorption,
distribution, metabolism & excretion in humans & other model systems).
2.
The data on the incidence of cancer due to the direct exposure.
The working group concluded the
following in their monograph,
1.
There is inadequate evidence in humans regarding the
carcinogenicity of arecoline.
2.
There is limited evidence in experimental animals for
the carcinogenicity of arecoline.
3.
There is strong evidence in human primary cells and in
various experimental systems that arecoline exhibits multiple key
characteristics of carcinogens.
The overall
conclusion was,
Arecoline is possibly carcinogenic to
humans (Group 2B).
The working
group came to a conclusion that arecoline exhibit multiple key characteristics of
carcinogens in general. It alters DNA repair mechanism and causes genomic
instability in experimental systems. However, the group found limited evidence
for cancer in experimental animals. The group didn’t find any studies on the incidence
of cancer in humans, due to arecoline. Hence, with a greater degree of uncertainty, the
working group concluded that arecoline might be a carcinogen.
