Griffith University研究团队在印度尼西亚苏拉威西岛发现了两具远古骨骼遗骸，其中一具距今约7000年，另一具距今16000至25000年1。研究人员在这些遗骨的牙齿上发现了深层圆形沟槽，部分沟槽深度足以暴露牙髓1，并在其中检测出精神活性物质阿雷可碱的痕迹1。这一发现表明这些远古采集者定期咀吸槟榔坚果，代表了迄今最早的人类药物使用证据，早于已知最古老的发酵酒精饮料传统约13000年1。
科学家通过在人工唾液中浸泡槟榔坚果的实验，验证了这些坚果能够释放足以致幻的阿雷可碱1。槟榔坚果是全球第四大使用最广泛的精神活性物质，仅次于酒精、咖啡因和尼古丁，目前全球约十分之一的人口咀吸槟榔籽1。Griffith University的Adam Brumm教授表示，研究发现了这种普遍药物使用习惯的演变证据，这种习惯如今在亚太地区的许多地方都很常见1。该研究成果已发表在《科学进展》期刊1。
Researchers have discovered what may be the earliest evidence of human drug use, dating back as far as 25,000 years ago.1 Two ancient skeletal remains recovered from Sulawesi, Indonesia, bear distinctive marks on their teeth suggesting that these prehistoric foragers regularly sucked on betel nuts, which contain the psychoactive compound arecoline.1
The two skeletons are approximately 7,000 and 16,000 to 25,000 years old respectively.1 Analysis of their teeth revealed deep circular grooves, with some worn deeply enough to expose the pulp.1 When researchers soaked betel nuts in artificial saliva, they detected arecoline in concentrations sufficient to produce hallucinogenic effects.1 This practice predates the known oldest tradition of fermented alcoholic beverages by approximately 13,000 years.1
The findings, published in Science Advances, indicate how a widespread habit observed across the Asia-Pacific region today may have originated.1 Betel nuts rank as the fourth most widely used psychoactive substance globally, behind only alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine.1 Today, approximately one in ten people worldwide chew betel seeds.1
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