Determination and quality evaluation of active ingredients in areca nut using near-infrared rapid detection technology

Areca is a significant cash crop used in both traditional Chinese medicine and various foods because of its numerous pharmacological benefits and the stimulation it offers. Great attention is paid to the quality of areca; therefore, a quick and accurate method for detecting the major active ingredients in areca nuts can aid in the quality assessment of areca for appropriate applications. In this study, the main active components of areca nuts, including gallic acid, tannic acid, catechin, and arecoline, were quantitatively analyzed using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). The contents of the four active ingredients in areca nut were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography. These results were combined with those of the NIRS to establish a near-infrared rapid detection model of these active substances. The R2 values for all four ingredients were close to 1, and the corresponding RPD values were all less than 3.Therefore, the accuracy, precision, and sensitivity of the NIRS method were within reasonable limits, and the results with methodological validation were favorable. This technique enables the rapid and nondestructive determination of the active substances in areca nuts, thereby achieving the objectives of this study.