Effect of Chewing Catha edulis with Amphetamine-Like Effect on Erythrocyte Antioxidant System

Abstract

Chewing Catha edulis leaves (Khat) that has amphetamine-like effect is of highly concern in Yemen and the Horn of Africa as most of the population chewing this plant. Unfortunately, farmers used to apply pesticides for better production of this plant. The present study has been designed to assess the activity of erythrocyte cholinesterase and the antioxidant defense system of male Khat chewers in Thamar city, Yemen. Erythrocytes of twenty male Khat chewers and twenty controls (non-Khat chewers) were prepared, and the activities of butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and catalase (CAT) were estimated along with the measuring levels of reduced glutathione (GSH), total thiols (T-SH) and protein thiols (P-SH). The blood indices were also measured in both groups. A decrease in the activities of BChE and CAT was observed in the erythrocyte concomitant with reductions in the levels of GSH, T-SH and P-SH of Khat chewers group as compared to non-Khat chewers group. These alterations in the antioxidants resulted in changes in some blood indices of Khat chewers group. The present study shows that chewing C. edulis with amphetamine-like effect along with pesticide applied to the plant might be responsible for the production of oxidants, which lead to decrease the antioxidant system of erythrocytes of C. edulis chewers.