Figures (3)  Tables (2)
    • Figure 1. 

      Possible mechanisms of oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) and oral oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) induced by arecoline.

    • Figure 2. 

      Possible mechanisms of cardiovascular diseases and cardiotoxicity.

    • Figure 3. 

      Effects and mechanisms of arecoline on different organs and systems.

    • EffectAnimal/cellSpecific effectPathway/mediatorsDoseRef.
      Beneficial effectsXenopus laevis oocytesAnti-inflammatory activityAs a silent agonist of α7 nAChR, targeting and regulating intracellular signaling against inflammation and pain/[61]
      Glioblastoma cell lines (U373 and U87MG)Interfere with the aggressiveness of malignant gliomasInhibition of intermediate conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels10 and 30 μM[62]
      ZebrafishCluster disruption and increased social interactionIncreased norepinephrine, serotonin, and DOPAC levels decreased 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid/serotonin level, and homovanillic acid/dopamine ratios10 mg/L[55]
      ZebrafishMotor hyperactivityBinds with multiple mAChRs (M1−M4) to induce hyperactivity0.001, 0.01, 0.1,
      and 1 ppm
      [49]
      Male Swiss albino miceAntinociceptionBy activation of central muscarinic receptors0.3−1 mg/kg ip[53]
      RatAttenuated a time perception impairment induced by daily scheduled feedingBy modulating central cholinergic10 mg/kg/d[52]
      RatAnti-phenobarbital sodium-induced sleep timeNot mentioned0.5 mg[51]
      Male ICR miceShortened the duration of
      ethanol-induced sleep
      Acts as a muscarinic agonist to relieve ethanol-induced central depression and intoxication0.125−1.0 mg/kg, s.c.[50]
      CPZ miceAttenuating memory impairment and demyelinationActs as a muscarinic receptor 1 cholinergic agonist to improve cognition and promote myelination processes in the frontal cortex2.5 or 5 mg/kg/d[8]
      Female BALB/c miceIncreased the activity of preactivated NK cellsBy stimulating the secretion of corticotropin-releasing hormone and adrenocorticotropic hormone1.5 mg/kg[63]
      Male albino ratsImproved retrieval and memory storage in the stair mazeNot mentioned0.5 mg/kg[64]
      Human (Alzheimer)Low-dose arecoline improved cognitive performance, highest-dose impaired psychomotor activationBy modulating central cholinergic1, 2, or 4 mg/h infusions 2 h[9]
      Human (Alzheimer)Improved memoryAs a cholinergic agonist, maintaining patients’ cholinergic steady-state0.042−1.7 mg/h Infusion for 11−16 d[65]
      Human (Alzheimer)Improved cognitionAs a muscarinic receptor agonist, regulating patients’ cholinergic system0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 22,
      28, 34, and 40 mg/d
      [66]
      NeurotoxicityPrimary cortical neuronInduction of neuronal cell deathBy attenuating antioxidant defense and enhancing oxidative stress50−200 μM[16]
      PC12 CellsApoptosisBy inducing endoplasmic reticulum stress, attenuating H2S levels, CBS and 3-MST protein expression0.5−2 mM[58]
      Drosophila melanogasterNeurotoxic agent and affected the life cycle parametersBy reducing acetylcholinesterase and MAO, increasing caspase-3, caspase-9 activity, and oxidative stress20, 40 and 80 μM[67]
      ZebrafishDyskinesiaBy increasing ROS, endoplasmic reticulum stress, apoptotic p53 signaling pathway.10 μM[68]
      Male albino ratsDecreased correct responses and accelerated spontaneous decay of memoryNot mentioned3.5 and 8 mg/kg[64]
      Addiction-relatedXenopus laevis oocytesHabitual useBy activating addiction-related nAChR activity, receptors containing α4, β2, α6 and β3 subunits/[61]
      Xenopus laevis oocytesAddictionBy activating α4 nAChR100 μM[62]
      ZebrafishWithdrawal syndrome-like responsesNot mentioned1 mg/L[55]
      Pregnant womenExceptional adverse birth outcomeNot mentionedNot mentioned[69]

      Table 1. 

      Effect of arecoline on the CNS.

    • EffectAnimal/cellSpecific effectPathway/mediatorsDoseRef.
      Respiratory systemHuman and dermal and gingival fibroblastCausing lung function impairmentIn pro-inflammatory conditions (IL-4 and
      TNF-α), arecoline can induce eotaxin-1 release and alter the disease process in asthma
      25 and 100 μg/mL[18]
      HumanAsthmaPossibly related to arecoline-induced bronchoconstriction/[89]
      HepatotoxicityHuman liver microsome and Male Wistar ratsHepatotoxicityBy increasing the hepatic CYP2E1 and CYP2B activity, induced oxidative damage, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma4, 20, and 100 mg/kg/d[90]
      HA22T/VGH hepatoma cellsInducing anoikisBy inhibiting STAT3 and SHP2 phosphorylation, decreasing the levels of anti-apoptotic factors, as well as by promoting the activity of pro-apoptotic factors0−100 μg/mL[91]
      Human and C57BL/6 mice’s organ of Corti and spiral ganglionsSensorineural hearing impairmentReducing cochlear explant cell activity, inducing cell death and ROS production by causing disruption of hair cells in the organ
      of Corti
      0.2, 0.8, 2, and 10 mM[92]
      MiceFatty degeneration and inflammatory infiltrationBy increasing serum alkaline phosphatase, glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, glutamate-pyruvate transaminase, and decreasing levels of reduced glutathione, glutathione-S-transferase, SOD, and catalase10 mg/kg body weight[19]
      MiceDecreasing nuclear size; the rough endoplasmic reticulum with profusely inflated cisternae and abundance of lipid dropletsBy Upregulating SGOT and SGPT (hepatotoxicity marker enzymes) in serum5, 10, and 20 mg/kg body weight[87]
      ReproductionZebrafish embryosReducing survival of embryos with growth retardation and lower heart rateGeneral cytotoxic effects mainly due to intracellular thiol depletion0.01%−0.04% (wt/vol)[93]
      OocyteApoptosisBy disrupting actin filament dynamics, spindle assembly, and kinetochore-microtubule attachment stability, mitochondrial distribution, and increasing oxidative stress levels180 μg/mL[94]
      ICR mice and blastocystsReduction of early embryos and inhibition of blastocyst growth and expansionBy inducing DNA damage, cell cycle arrest, or apoptosis0−8.47 × 10−2 M[88]
      Male ratsStimulation of testosterone secretionBy activating L-type calcium channels, increasing 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity and StAR expression, thereby stimulating testosterone production1 μg/kg[95]
      Immunity and endocrineSwiss albino miceLymphocyte depletion of the thymic cortex and the B and T lymphocyte areas in the spleen and MLN, Elevated corticosterone, SGOT, and SGPT levels, and decreased white and red blood cell countsNot mentioned20 mg/kg[96]
      Adult male miceThe orientation of nuclei was irregular, follicle degeneration, a decrease in the T3, T4, number, and size of thyroid follicles, and an increase in the TSH levelMAChRs mediate the effect of arecoline on thyroid10 mg/kg[97]
      BALB/c miceReducing the spleen index, hemolysin, IL-2 production, and splenocyte proliferation induced by concanavalin A or lipopolysaccharideMediated via mAChRs2 mg/kg[98]
      FatMouse 3T3-L1 cells and humanAdipocyte dysfunctionInhibiting adipogenic differentiation, inducing adenylate cyclase-dependent lipolysis, and interfering with insulin-induced glucose uptake≥ 300 µM[99]
      3T3-L1 cellsRegulating the growth of preadipocytesInhibiting the CDK family and the CKI pathway by inactivating AMPK activity as
      well as the intracellular ROS pathway
      0−1,000 μM[100]

      Table 2. 

      Other toxicological and pharmacological effects of arecoline.