According to the Japanese Pharmacopoeia Sixteenth Edition (JP16), the origin of Arecae Semen is the seed of Areca catechu Linné (Palmae). Arecae Semen is used as an ingredient of Kampo formulae such as Kumibinroto and Nyoshinsan. The seed contains alkaloids such as arecaidine, arecoline, guvacoline and guvacine. However, no quantitative test for Arecae Semen is designated in JP16. In this study, an analytical method using HPLC for arecaidine, arecoline and guvacine in Arecae Semen was elaborated, and was performed on the market samples.
