Catha edulis cathinone

Cathinone An amphetamine derivative found in khat extracted from Catha edulis growing in the Horn of Africa, where it is widely used as a recreational stimulant. 

Khat (Qat) The Horn of Africa plant Catha edulis containing the amphetamine-like drugs, cathine and cathinone (norpseudoephedrine). 

Halket JM, Karasu Z, Murray-Lyon IM. (1995). Plasma cathinone levels following chewing khat leaves (Catha edulis Forsk.). J Ethnopharmacol. 49(2) 111-13. 

Taha SA, Ageel AM, Islam MW, GInawl OT. (1995). Effect of (-)-cathinone, a psychoactive alkaloid from khat (Catha edulis Forsk.) and caffeine on sexual behaviour in rats. Pharmacol Res. 31(5) 299-303. 

Khat Catha edulis Leaves Alkaloids cathinone, cathine Chewed, tea Stimulant Yemenis, Ethiopians, Somalis etc. East Arabia, East Africa, Madagascar... 

Chiral protoalkaloids, such as cathinone (55), a psychotropic constituent of Catha edulis Forssk. (khat), have provided probes for studying the mechanistic properties of biogenic amine transporters, and afforded information regarding the effect of stereochemistry at the transportation level of these nitrogenous compounds. ... 

Ecstasy synthesis patterned on cathinone from Catha edulis Forsk., Celestraceae, Ang. 

Khat Catha edulis Ephedrine, cathinone Adrenergic Norepinephrine, epinephrine... 

Patel NB. Mechanism of action of cathinone the active ingredient of khat (Catha edulis). East Afr Med J 2000 77 329-332. 

Khat is found in an African plant, Catha edulis, which contains cathinone and cathine (also known as d-norisoephedrine). The habit of chewing khat to produce a mild arousal probably... 

Although the Catha edulis plant contains a number of chemicals, vitamins, and minerals, its main active ingredient is cathinone, an alkaloid with a chemical structure similar to ephedrine and d-amphetamine. Like amphetamine, it increases the levels of dopamine in the brain and acts as a mild stimulant. For this reason, khat is sometimes referred to as a natural amphetamine. 

The fresh leaves of the khat shrub (Catha edulis) are chewed by several millions of people in East Africa and the Arabian peninsula for their euphoric and stimulating properties (284). The rather newly discovered alkaloid cathinone [(S)-a-aminopropiophenone] is responsible for the stimulating properties of khat (284). It has been shown that cathinone induces release at physiological catecholamine storage sites in a manner similar to that of amphetamine. Further results suggest that cathinone and amphetamine produce their stimulant effects via the same dopaminergic mechanism (599). The more recently discovered khat constituents merucathinone, merucathine, and pseudomerucathine were found to have only weak dopamine-releasing effects and were therefore considered unlikely to play an important role in the stimulatory actions of khat leaves (414). 

Neuromessenger Releasers. Normal CNS functioning could be disrupted by evoking premature or continued release of neuromessengers from presynaptic stores. Although D(+)-amphetamine, a well-known psychostimulant and appetite depressant, does not occur in plants, a closely-related substance, DL-cathinone, does occur. It is found in the leaves of the khat shrub, Catha edulis, which grows in East Africa and in the Arab peninsula. Cathinone evokes the release of norepinephrine from central and peripheral presynaptic stores and has cardiovascular and appetite depressing effects similar to D-amphetamine (23). 

Chewing the leaves of Catha edulis (khat, qat) results in subjective mental stimulation, increased physical endurance, and increased self-esteem and social interaction. Until recently, this habit was confined to Arabian and East African countries, because only fresh leaves are active, but because of increased air transportation, khat is now also chewed in other parts of the world. Although cathine (norpseudoephedrine) is quantitatively the main alkaloid, the amphetamine-hke euphorigenic and sympathomimetic cardiovascular effects of khat are primarily attributed to cathinone (1). In Yemen chewers of khat produced in fields where chemical pesticides are used regularly have more sjmptoms than chewers of khat produced in fields where chemical pesticides are rarely or never used (2). 

Khat leaf ((Catha Edulis) (chewing is common in East Africa and fhe Yemen. It produces renal toxicity in rabbits [63]. The leaves contain S-Cathinone (which is metabolised to norephidrine and norpseudoephidrine [64]. No reports of human cases of nephrotoxic adverse effects can be found. 

KHAT OR QAT Catha edulis (Vahl) Forsk. Ex. Endl., family Celastraceae, grows in East Africa. It is cultivated in the mountainous regions (above 1,500 m) in Ethiopia, and Kenya. In countries such as Yemen, the fresh leaves are chewed or used for preparing tea, which is used as a stimulant. Khat counteracts fatigue, facilitates strenuous muscular work, and causes talkativeness. These effects depend on the occurrence in the fresh leaves of the labile alkaloid cathinone, which quickly breaks down into pseudoephedrine. The effects of cathinone are similar to those of amphetamine and there... 

Zelger, J.L. etal. 1980. Behavioural effects of cathinone, an amine obtained from Catha edulis Forsk. Comparisons with amphetamine, norpseudoephedrine, ap-omorphine and nomifensine Bulletin on Narcotics 32(3) 67—81. 

Cathinone C9H,N0 149.19 -26.5° (CH2CI2) Catha edulis. Ephedra gerardiana 71031-15-7... 

Q Khat (Catha edulis), indigenous to the higher elevations of Yemen and Somalia, has been mentioned for the first time around 1300. Its principal alkaloid is (-)-(S)-cathinone. The freshly-cut leaves of the tree, which grows up to a height of 25 metres, are chewed and induce a mild state of intoxication. Tiredness fades away, physical work becomes easier and the sensation of hunger is suppressed. Side-effects upon long-term use are gastritis, loss of appetite, impotence and constipation. [112]... 

The use of khat (Catha edulis, Celastraceae) is common in several areas of northeastern Africa and in Yemen. Although the leaves and young stems are usually used as a masticatory, a tea is sometimes prepared (Brenneisen and ElSohly, 1992). The active compounds of khat are two closely related compounds i-pseudonorephedrine (35) and (- )-a-aminopropiophenone or cathinone (36) (Crombie et al., 1990 Szendrei, 1980) (see also Chapter 36). These compounds have central nervous stimulant activity (Tyler et al., 1981). (5)-Cathinone is thought to be responsible for the cardiac stimulating activity of khat (Wagner, 1988). 

Mephedrone is a semisynthetic derivative of cathinone, an alkaloid extracted from Catha edulis leaves (khat). It has become popular as a recreational drug in the UK and Continental Europe [29 ]. The most common routes for recreational use include insufflation and oral ingestion, and it has stimulant effects similar to those of amphetamines and cocaine. Cases of mephedrone overdosage have been reported and there have been deaths. 

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