Betel Nut Chewing in Iron Age Vietnam? Detection of Areca catechu Alkaloids in Dental Enamel. Issue 1 (1st January 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Krais, Simone; Klima, Miriam; Huppertz, Laura M.; Auwärter, Volker; Altenburger, Markus J.; Neukamm, Merja A.
• Is Part Of: Journal of psychoactive drugs. Volume 49:Issue 1(2017)
• Page Start: 11
• Page End: 17
• Publication Date: 2017-01-01
• Subjects: Analytical toxicology -- arecoline -- dental analysis -- Gò Ô Chùa -- LC-MS/MS -- prehistoric drug consumption; Hallucinogenic drugs -- Periodicals; Drug abuse -- Periodicals; Hallucinogens -- Periodicals; Psychotropic Drugs -- Periodicals; Drogues -- Périodiques; Hallucinogènes -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 616.86
• DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2016.1264647
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0279-1072

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The betel quid is one of the most commonly consumed psychoactive substances in the world. By archaeological evidence like the occurrence of areca nuts in archaeological sites, the typical overall reddish-brown staining on prehistoric human teeth or specific artifacts linked with the habit, it is assumed that this tradition reaches back to prehistoric times. Since this kind of evidence is indirect, it is frequently doubted. The present study provides the earliest direct analytical indication of betel nut chewing in human history. A typical stained tooth from an Iron Age skeleton (site Gò Ô Chùa in Southern Vietnam, 400–100 BC) was analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HR-ToF-MS) and the alkaloid arecoline which is specific for Areca catechu L . (Arecaceae) was detected.