Tannins from Betel Nuts

From the acetone extract of fresh betel nuts, two procyanidin pentamers, two procyanidin tetramers and three procyanidin trimers, along with (+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin, procyanidin A-1, procyanidin B-1, procyanidin B-2, and procyanidin B-7 were isolated. Based on ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR spectral data as well as the results of thiolysis degradation, the chemical structures of two series of oligomeric arecatannins A and B have been established. The arecatannins from betel nuts were found to be condensed-type tannins which possess (-)-epicatechin unit and (+)-catechin units. All arecatannins had C₄-C₈ linked (-)-epicatechin in the upper units whereas the (+)-catechin in the terminal unit had C₄-C₈ or C₄-C₆ linkage.