904 Pak J Med Sci 2012 Vol. 28 No. 5 www.pjms.com.pk INTRODUCTION The use of betel quid has been common in South and Southeast Asia and in the Asia Pacific region for a long time. Its use is also common in migrated communities in Europe North America and Africa. It is confirmed that palm was originally native to Sri Lanka, West Malaysia and Melanesia. 1 Today it is farmed in the Middle-Eastern and Far-Eastern countries. The areca nut or areca catechu linn is the true botanical name of the endosperm of the areca catechu palmae tree. It is also known as betel nut. Be- tel quid or paan is chewed as a breath freshener. It is commonly offered to guest and visitors as a sign of hospitality and eaten at cultural event. Paan fill- ing is generally a mixture of spices and fruits. Paan makers may use tobacco as an ingredient to their paan filling. Although many types of paan contain betel nut as filling and many other types do not. It has some medicinal value as well as ability to im- prove social and daily life. The chewing of betel quid/areca nut habit has been reported from many Countries such as Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand, India, Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia, China, Papua New Guinea and immigrant popula- tions in Africa, UK, North America and Australia. 1 The ingredients vary in ways of preparation of betel quid. In India betel quid preparation consist of half portion of a large betel leaf or medium small- sized betel leaves, smeared with slaked lime small amount of catechu to which is added few pieces of areca nut. 2 1. Syed Fareed Mohsin, Department of Oral Medicine/Periodontology, 2. Sajid Hanif, Department of Oral Pathology, 3. Kefi Iqbal, Department of Dental Material, 1-3: Baqai Dental College, Karachi, Pakistan. Correspondence: Syed Fareed Mohsin, Department of Oral Medicine/Periodontology, Baqai Dental College, Karachi, Pakistan. E-mail: fareedmohsin@hotmail.com * Received for Publication: May 28, 2012 * Revision Received: August 1, 2012 * Revision Accepted: August 4, 2012 Original Article To investigate the in-vitro effect of areca nut aqueous extract on reconstituted human epithelium model Syed Fareed Mohsin 1 , Sajid Hanif 2 , Kefi Iqbal 3 ABSTRACT Objective: To investigate the in vitro effect of areca nut aqueous extract on reconstituted human epithelium model by assessing the morphology of the tissue on formalin fixed paraffin embedded section. Methodology: Aqueous extract of areca nut, and Phosphate Buffered Saline (as control) was applied to the surface of the buccal epithelium and gingival epithelium. The morphology of the stratified oral epithelial model was examined at 24 and 48 hours by using formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissue. Results: It was found that after 24 hours areca affected the morphology of the tissue by causing intercellular spacing and vacuolation. After 48 hours these changes were more marked and there was disorganization of prickle cell layer. Conclusion: This study has confirmed that aqueous extract of areca nut caused significant histological changes in the tissue examined. KEY WORDS: Areca nut, Stratified epithelium, Keratinocytes, Morphology. Pak J Med Sci October - December 2012 Vol. 28 No. 5 904-908 How to cite this article: Mohsin SF, Hanif S, Iqbal K. To investigate the in-vitro effect of areca nut aqueous extract on reconstituted human epithelium model. Pak J Med Sci 2012;28(5):904-908