Compound Monograph
Guvacoline
Guvacoline is a minor pyridine alkaloid found in the areca (betel) nut.
Sources · 1
Where Does It Come From?
Guvacoline is a naturally occurring pyridine alkaloid, found in Areca nut. It is flagged as moderately toxic.
Concentration
Content by Source
Concentrations not reported. No percent-dry-weight or mg/g figures have been published for this compound in its source plants.
Research & Evidence
Guvacoline is one of the minor alkaloids of the areca (betel) nut, Areca catechu, occurring alongside the principal alkaloid arecoline. It is a member of the same pyridine alkaloid family and is thought to contribute, in a small way, to the cholinergic activity of areca nut preparations, though it has been studied far less than arecoline itself.
Toxicity & Safety
Little is established about guvacoline’s safety in isolation. Areca nut chewing as a whole is associated with significant health harms, including oral cancers, but these are attributed mainly to the nut and additives rather than this minor constituent specifically.
