Khat Chewing from the Pharmacological Point of View: An Update

Khat chewing is deeply rooted in the every day life of people living in the Horn of Africa and in South Arabia, where Catha edulis is endemic. Considered little more than an exotic habit producing just mild pharmacological effects, systematic investigations on its active principles have instead lead...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Substance use & misuse 2008, Vol.43 (6), p.762-783
Main Authors: Graziani, Manuela, Milella, Michele S., Nencini, Paolo
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Catha - adverse effects
Catha - chemistry
cathinone
Central Nervous System Diseases - etiology
Humans
khat chewing
Mental Disorders - etiology
Plant Preparations - pharmacology
Substance-Related Disorders - complications
Substance-Related Disorders - physiopathology
Substance-Related Disorders - psychology
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Summary:Khat chewing is deeply rooted in the every day life of people living in the Horn of Africa and in South Arabia, where Catha edulis is endemic. Considered little more than an exotic habit producing just mild pharmacological effects, systematic investigations on its active principles have instead lead to the isolation and chemical characterization of cathinone, a compound structurally related to amphetamine. Three decades of intense experimental and clinical research on khat have depicted a consistently clear picture of its pharmacological and toxicological effects.
ISSN:1082-6084
1532-2491
DOI:10.1080/10826080701738992