India and China became widespread during the 17th 
century, a new form of pan chewing developed, that is, 
chewing betel nut and betel leaf with lime and tobacco, 
but only to keep it in the mouth for its effect. Nothing 
is swallowed or eaten in this type of chewing; the red 
saliva is spit out as often as it collects in the mouth; the 
mass of chewed pan with tobacco remains in the mouth; 
finally, when the tobacco loses its effect, the whole mass 
is spit out. This detestable habit of chewing has been 
described as causing “‘the ghastly marks one commonly 
sees in the streets.’’ The blackening of teeth is mostly 
noticed among this class of pan chewers due to their 
negligence in cleaning their teeth. In this method, the 
pan is only an accessory or an accomplice to the tobacco 
habit. All the low grade nuts and leaves are used up by 
this class of chewers; the spicy and aromatic ingredients 
used by the majority of chewers for taste are not used 
by those who chew pan for the tobacco habit. Before 
tobacco introduction, chewing was entirely to eat and 
swallow, and spitting was rare, and even those who used 
kath, spit out only the first saliva, if any; the rest was 
chewed and eaten. Garcia da Orta has noticed this: 
‘They spit out the first Juice... . some persons do not 
do this but chew it all and afterwards take other leaves 
in the same way.”’ 
Out of about 30 plant products which are used in some 
form or other in chewing pan, only the betel nut (with 
the exception of tobacco) contains alkaloids. here are 
several of these, the most active principle being arecoline 
C,H,,O2N (about 0.1%). Besides alkaloids, the nut 
contains: Moisture: 81.8%; Proteins: 4.9%; Fats: 
4.4% ; Carbohydrates: 47.2%; Minerals: 1.0%; Cal- 
in Bijapur and took it to the Emperor Akbar who attempted to smoke.’’ 
.... Comes affirms that the seed cultivated in India in 1605 had been 
brought from Brasil.’’ (Watts) 
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