Mutagenicity of betel quid and its ingredients using mammalian test systems.

The mutagenic potential of betel quid and its ingredients (known colloquially as PAN) were tested in two short term mutagenicity assays, the micronucleus test and a mammalian gene mutation test. Betel quid with tobacco, tobacco, betel nut and one of its alkaloids arecoline were positive in both tests. Extracts of betel quid and arecaidine (a metabolite of arecoline present in Betel nut) were negative. The data presented correlate well with our previous tumorigenicity data on these compounds.