khat

khat

Khat is a plant native to Eastern Africa and the Arabian peninsula. It is chewed and made into a tea by the locals much like we use coffee or tea. It is a stimulant with the alkaloids, Cathinone, and Cathine as the main stimulating chemicals. It is grown in many African countries besides Somalia and Yemen. There are about 10 other countries that use it in Africa. Due to meager supplies of food in many African nations khat is used to prevent hunger. However, it is mainly a cultural plant that induces stimulation and euphoria that has been used for thousands of years

Catha edulis, qat, chat, jaad, and miraa is a flowering plant native to East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. It is a shrub, that grows from 5m to 20m in the wild. It contains several stimulants of interest. It contains the alkaloid cathinone, an amphetamine-like stimulant that is said to cause excitement, loss of appetite, and euphoria.

USING KHAT

It is mainly to stimulate the user. The user chews the leaves of the the plant releasing its stimulating properties. The chemicals involved in causing stimulation, euphoria and to prevent hunger are cathine and cathinone. They are chemically known as (cathine) (+)-norpseudoephedrine and (cathinone) (-) alpha-aminopropiophenone respectively.
100g of fresh it leaves contain approximately 36mg cathinone, 120mg norpseudoephedrine, and 8mg norephedrine

WAYS OF ADMINISTRATION

Khat’s fresh leaves and tops are chewed or, less frequently, dried and consumed as a tea, in order to achieve a state of euphoria and stimulation: it also has anorectic side effects. The leaves or soft parts of the stem can be chewed with either chewing gum or fried peanuts to make it easier to chew.

EFFECT OF KHAT

The effects of it are similar to and related to many stimulants. Some of the alkaloids that are in khat are Cathinone, norpseudoephedrine, cathidine, and cathedulin. Cathinone and norpseudoephedrine give one the main stimulant effects of chewing or drinking the tea of it.