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Arecoline has biomedical importance, but it has untoward side effects on endocrine functions. The aim is to investigate its role on adrenal activity under thermal stress by ultrastructural and hormonal parameters in mice. Cold (4 °C) or heat (37 °C) stress, or arecoline (10 mg/kg body wt), each for 7 days in cold or heat stress stimulated adrenocortical activity ultrastructurally with an elevation of corticosterone level. Adrenomedullary activity was suppressed in cold stress with depletion of catecholamine levels. In heat stress, adrenomedullary activity was stimulated ultrastructurally with an elevation of catecholamine levels. Arecoline treatment alone, or in cold or heat stress suppressed adrenomedullary activity, judged by ultrastructural and hormonal parameters. Arecoline treatment caused hypoglycemia with an elevation of glycogen level, but cold or heat stress, or arecoline treatment in thermal stress caused hyperglycemia, with a fall in glycogen profile. Thus, arecoline in thermal stress plays a dual role on adrenal function and glucose-glycogen homeostasis in mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arecoline is known to cause endocrine dysfunction. In the current article role of arecoline on pineal–testis activity was investigated in hypothyroid rats induced by propylthiouracil (PTU). PTU treatment caused thyroid dysfunction ultrastructurally with a fall in T3 and T4 levels followed by a rise of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level. Pineal activity was impaired by PTU treatment, as evident from degenerated synaptic ribbons and mitochondria of the pinealocytes with depletion of pineal and serum N-acetyl serotonin and melatonin levels. Leydig cell function was suppressed, evident from reduced smooth endoplasmic reticulum and depletion of testosterone level. Sex accessories function was impaired by showing scanty rough endoplasmic reticulum with depletion of fructose and sialic acid levels. Arecoline treatment that caused pineal dysfunction and testicular stimulation in control rats, suppressed both pineal and testis functions after PTU treatment. The findings suggest that arecoline inhibits pineal–testis function in experimentally induced hypothyroid rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Betel nut of Areca catechu is chewed by millions of people for increased capacity to work and stress reduction, but it contains arecoline that causes hypothyroidism. The aim is to investigate the role of arecoline on thyroid activity in cold stress in mice. Arecoline treatment (10 mg/kg body wt/day, for 7 d) caused a reduction in thyroid weight and ultrastructural degeneration of thyro-follicular cells with depletion of T3 and T4 levels compared with the control mice. Cold stress (4 °C for 2 h, twice daily, for 7 d) stimulated thyroid activity ultrastructurally with an elevation of T3 and T4 levels. Arecoline treatment in cold stress suppressed thyroid activity by showing reversed changes to those of cold stress. In contrast, TSH concentrations were consistently increased under all experimental conditions. The findings suggest that cold stress causes hyperthyroidism which arecoline can ameliorate in mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Millions of people consume betel nut for increased capacity to work and for stress reduction. The nut contains arecoline, which has multiple side effects on endocrine functions. Objective of the work is to investigate pineal–testicular responses to noise and after arecoline treatment in noise in rats. Noise exposure (100 dB, 6 h daily, 10 days) caused pineal stimulation ultrastructurally and at indoleamines level. Leydig cell dysfunction with fall of testosterone level and suppression of sex accessories were noticed. In contrast, pineal activity was inhibited and reproductive functions were stimulated after arecoline administration, confirmed from reversed changes to those of noise. Arecoline treatment in noise exposure showed same results as in noise both in pineal and in reproductive functions. It is concluded that noise causes testicular dysfunction probably by gonadotropin suppression induced by pineal melatonin in noise. Furthermore, arecoline cannot prevent it in noise in rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]