Oral symptoms significantly higher among long-term khat (Catha edulis) users in Ethiopia

Oral symptoms significantly higher among long-term khat (Catha edulis) users in Ethiopia

OBJECTIVES Associations between khat (Catha edulis) chewing and different adverse oral-dental health conditions have been reported, yet evidence is still lacking. This study was designed to investigate the association between long-term regular khat chewing and self-reported oral symptoms. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 1,255 university students in southern Ethiop...

Subchronic oral administration of crude khat extract (Catha edulis forsk) induces schizophernic-like symptoms in mice

BACKGROUND Chewing fresh leaves of the khat plant (Catha edulis forsk) is a deep rooted and widespread habit in East Africa and the Middle East. Although a body of knowledge exists about the adverse effects of khat on health, data are sparse with regard to the consequences of long-term khat chewing in resulting schizophrenic like symptoms. METHODS A crude extract of khat at different doses (1...

Khat (Catha edulis): Botany, Distribution, Cultivation, Usage and Economics in Ethiopia

Association of Smoking and Khat (Catha edulis Forsk) Use With High Blood Pressure Among Adults in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2006

INTRODUCTION We assessed the prevalence of substance use and its association with high blood pressure among adults in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. METHODS We employed a cross-sectional descriptive study design. The World Health Organization instrument for stepwise surveillance of risk factors for chronic diseases was applied on a probabilistic sample of 4001 men and women aged 25 to 64 years in Add...

Severe rhabdomyolysis associated with catha edulis(khat) use

Severe rhabdomyolysis is a rare complication of exposure to the recreational drug khat. Adverse reactions to khat that have been reported in the literature include myocardial infarction and reversible vasoconstriction syndrome. The active ingredient, cathinone, is a naturally occurring beta-ketone amphetamine that may be responsible for this severe catecholaminergic response. Here we report a c...