Khat (Kat)

From "Phantastica" by Lewis Lewin, 1931.

Because khat contains ephedrinelike compounds it seems best included in this section [a setion on Amphetamines]. Lewin (1931) gave a brief account of khat and how it was used. Apparently it was taken socially to produce excitation, banish sleep, and promote communication. It was used as a stimulant to dispel feelings of hunger and fatigue.

The natives chewed young buds and fresh leaves of catha edulis (_Celastrus edulis_). This is a large shrub which can grow to tree size. It originated in Ethiopia and spread until its use covered Kenya, Nyasaland [now Malawi], Uganda, Tanganyika [now Tanzania], Arabia, the Congo, Rhodesia [now Zimbabwe and Zambia], and South Africa. The khat trees are grown interspersed between coffee trees.

Khat was used in Yemen even before coffee and it was immensely popular. Lewin described khat markets to which khat was brought in bundles of branches from the mountains.

Khat contains cathine (d-norisoephedrine), cathidine, and cathinine. Cathine is also one of the alkaloids found in _Ephedra vulgaris_. It is fortunate, perhaps, that khat is also very rich in ascorbic acid which is an excellent antidote to amphetamine-type compounds.

In animals, khat produces excitation and increased motor activity. In humans, it is a stimulant producing a feeling of exaltation, a feeling of being liberated from space and time. It may produce extreme loquacity, inane laughing, and eventually semicoma. It may also be an euphorient and used chronically can lead to a form of delirium tremens. Galkin and Mironychev (1964) reported that up to 80% of the adult population of Yemen use khat. Upon first chewing khat, the initial effects were unpleasant and included dizziness, lassitude, tachycardia, and sometimes epigastric pain. Gradually more pleasant feelings replaced these inaugural symptoms. The subjects had feelings of bliss, clarity of thought, and became euphoric and overly energetic. Sometimes khat produced depression, sleepiness, and then deep sleep. The chronic user tended to be euphoric continually. In rare cases the subjects became aggressive and overexcited. Galkin and his colleague observed 51 subjects who had taken khat. Of these, 27 became excited, 18 became somnolent, and 6 remained unchanged. The respiratory rate and pulse rate were accelerated and the blood pressure tended to rise. The subjects also had a decrease in the functional capacity of the cardiovascular system.

Lewin, L. (1931) "Phantastica, Narcotic and Stimulating Drugs." (Translation of 1924, German edition.) Routledge and Kegan Paul, London

Created 9/13/2000 0:22:17
Modified 9/13/2000 0:22:17

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