Arecoline is a natural alkaloid that is found in the betel nut of the Areca palm. It is an agonist of the muscarinic acetylcholine receptors with EC50 values of 7, 95, 11, 410, and 69 nM for M1, M2, M3, M4, and M5, respectively. Generally, arecoline causes smooth muscle contraction. Arecoline and other muscarinic receptor agonists have been shown to improve learning and memory and may prove to be useful in treating dementia.
