Effect of Catha edulis on plasma glucose and C-peptide in both type 2 diabetics and non-diabetics.

In this study, the effect of regular khat chewing on serum glucose and C-peptide levels were investigated in both healthy male individuals and type 2 diabetic patients. The results presented show the levels of glucose and C-peptide of healthy individuals to be non-significantly different between khat and non-khat chewers which may be due to the rapid release of insulin which prevents the sympathetic khat effect on rising serum glucose. On comparing both diabetic groups, those of khat chewers showed a non-significant increase of glucose levels at 0, 1 and 2 h of khat chewing.

Khat chewing and bladder neck dysfunction. A randomized controlled trial of alpha 1-adrenergic blockade.

Objective: To assess whether the effect of chewing khat leaves (Catha edulis) on the urodynamics of healthy males is altered by the selective alpha 1-adrenergic blocking agent indoramin in a prospective randomized double-blind controlled trial.

Subjects And Methods: The urodynamics of 11 healthy males were studied before and during a khat chewing session preceded by indoramin or placebo.

Results: Khat chewing produced a fall in average and maximum urine flow rate.

Oesophageal and gastric carcinoma in the Republic of Yemen.

We conducted a preliminary survey on 3064 patients who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy at the Al-Thawra Hospital in Sana'a, Republic of Yemen, between January and December 1991. The age/sex distribution, demographic features and social habits with respect to cigarette and water-pipe smoking and Qat chewing were compared for patients with oesophageal and gastric cancers (n = 183). A preponderance of women with carcinoma of the mid-oesophageal was noted, previously only recorded in areas of high prevalence.

Biochemical effects of Catha edulis, cathine and cathinone on adrenocortical functions.

Catha edulis is a plant that grows in certain areas of East Africa and the Arab Peninsula. The stimulating properties of fresh material were described more than seven centuries ago and today the habit of inducing a state of euphoria and subjective well-being by chewing Catha edulis prevails among the inhabitants of these regions. Oral administration of this plant and its active constituents (cathine and cathione) on experimental animals might have stimulating effects on adrenocortical function.

Tissue noradrenaline and the polyol pathway in experimentally diabetic rats.

1. The effects of a six week period of streptozotocin-induced diabetes on tissue catecholamines and on in vivo noradrenaline turnover were assessed in rats. 2.

Effect of khat on the metabolism of erythrocytes.

The plant khat "Catha Edulis Forsk" is widely distributed among most East African countries, Yemen and many other areas of the world. Administration of khat extract by the intragastric route in rabbits affected the metabolism of erythrocytes. There is a significant decrease in pyruvate kinase and the level of reduced glutathione (P less than 0.

Effect of khat on uteroplacental blood flow in awake, chronically catheterized, late-pregnant guinea pigs.

In order to investigate effects of khat chewing on uteroplacental blood flow, eight awake, chronically catheterized guinea pigs were fed 2.2 g khat leaves/kg in late pregnancy and regional blood flows were measured with the microsphere technique. Seven animals fed with aspen leaves in the same amounts served as controls.

Effect of khat on maternal food intake, maternal weight gain and fetal growth in the late-pregnant guinea pig.

Khat chewing is a widespread male social habit in countries around the southern shore of the Red Sea and in eastern Africa and is also practiced by women, even during pregnancy and lactation. In order to study the potentially adverse effects of khat chewing during pregnancy, guinea pigs were fed 2.2 g/kg of khat leaves daily throughout the third trimester.

Use of khat in lactating women: a pilot study on breast-milk secretion.

Nor-pseudoephedrine, one of the active ingredients of khat (Catha edulis), was found to be excreted in breast-milk in several lactating women who were chewing the leaves of the shrub according to the local customs. The compound could be traced in the urine of one breast-fed infant. It is concluded that the use of khat during lactation should be discouraged until further research has clearly elucidated the potential health hazards.

The influence of khat-chewing on birth-weight in full-term infants.

The leaves of the shrub Catha edulis (khat) are widely chewed as part of social life in several countries around the Red Sea and in East Africa. The leaves possess stimulant properties and are also used by pregnant women. The effect of khat on birth-weight has been studied, It was found that healthy full-term, singletons, born after uneventful pregnancies and deliveries, had a significantly lower average birth-weight when the mothers were khat-chewers, either habitually or occasionally (P less than 0.

Effect of the khat alkaloid (+)norpseudoephedrine on uteroplacental blood flow in the guinea pig.

In order to investigate effects of khat chewing on uteroplacental blood flow (+)norpseudoephedrine (NPE) infusions were given to 11 anesthetized guinea pigs in late pregnancy (62-66 days) after unilateral uterine artery ligation at days 30-32. Regional blood flows were determined with radioactive microspheres. Mean arterial blood pressure increased with 25% and heart rate with 9% during NPE infusion.

Does pulsatile flow influence the incidence of postoperative hypertension?

Twenty patients undergoing primary elective aorta--coronary artery bypass were divided into two equal groups, both receiving identical premedication, anesthetic, and pump primes. The control patients received hypothermic nonpulsatile flow and the study patients received hypothermic pulsatile flow. Hypertension, defined as a pressure of 160/100 mm Hg or higher, was observed in 80% of the control patients and 20% of the patients receiving pulsatile flow (p less than 0.

Incidence and some properties of an electrophoretically slow form of alkaline phosphatase in sera of patients with diseases of the intestine.

A zone of alkaline phosphatase activity migrating at about 40 percent of the rate of liver phosphatase in gel electrophoresis has been detected in sera from 2 out of 22 cases of ulcerative colitis and 1 out of 32 cases of Crohn's disease, but in no other specimen from 33 patients with other diseases of the digestive tract. This rare form of alkaline phosphatase was unlike small-intestinal alkaline phosphatase in several properties. Its appearance in association with diseases of the colon suggests that the rare isoenzyme may originate in that organ.