Arecaceae

The document discusses the Arecaceae family, focusing on two genera: Areca catechu and Serenoa repens. Areca catechu, commonly known as betel nut, is chewed by over 200 million people worldwide and contains alkaloids that can cause cholinergic adverse effects and euphoria. A study involving 993 Bangladeshis found that betel chewing may contribute to the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus, as waist size, a diabetes risk marker, was strongly related to betel use. Serenoa repens, known as saw palmetto, is used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Randomized trials showed that saw palmetto extracts improve urinary symptoms and flow measures more than placebo and similarly to the drug finasteride, with fewer adverse effects. However, a case of excessive bleeding after surgery was linked to saw palmetto's inhibition of platelet function. Additionally, allergic contact dermatitis has been reported with saw palmetto use. Drug interaction studies with 12 volunteers showed that saw palmetto did not alter the metabolism of drugs processed by CYP2D6 or CYP3A4 enzymes.