Toxic Effects of Betel Quid

Oral cancer is most common cancer in males and third most common in females, the main causative agent being use of chewing betel quid (BQ). Areca nut, Cathechu, Slaked lime are major components of Betel quid. Nitrosamines formed from alkaloids in betel nut during betel quid chewing may be implicated in the etiology of oral cancer. Reactive oxygen species are generated due to slaked lime which is also present in betel quid. Micronuclei (MN) have been proposed as a good biomarker to assess cytogenetic damage. Percentage of MN formation has been observed in pre cancerous lesions of the oral cavity of betel quid chewers. In this present study cases were screened from Department of E.N.T. & Oral and Maxillofacial surgery of Ramakrishna Mission Seva Pratishthan hospital, Kolkata and different areas of West Bengal. Some of them had more than one addiction and some have no addiction and complications. Hemogram reports are normal but mitotic index and micronuclei higher in oral cancer cases than normal.