SUMMARY
Background: The leaves of Khat are chewed for their central stimulant effect, but their use may cause anorexia and constipation.
Methods: Gastric emptying of a radio‐labelled semi‐solid meal was measured in 12 healthy volunteers on two occasions a week apart. Subjects chewed either Khat leaves (Catha edulis) or lettuce for 2 h before the study.
Results: Gastric emptying was significantly (P < 0.02 prolonged after chewing Khat compared with lettuce.
Conclusion: The sympathomimetic action of cathinonn in Khat may cause the observed delay in gastric emptying.
This investigation was aimed at assessing whether the Yemeni habit of chewing Qat on a regular basis had a significant effect on the upper alimentary tract. Seventy patients with dyspepsia attending Al-Thawra Hospital in Taiz, Yemen Republic were examined by endoscopy. Biopsies were taken from the oesophagus, stomach and duodenum. The patients included 28 who gave a history of daily Qat intake, 21 with less frequent intake and 21 who took none. The only statistically significant finding associated with daily Qat intake was a higher prevalence of duodenal ulcer, particularly in females. However, a strong association was also found between heavy smoking and ulcer, with most ulcer patients who chewed Qat daily being heavy smokers. Chewing Qat was not associated with a higher prevalence of oesophageal dysplasia, making it unlikely to be the cause of the perceived high incidence of oesophageal carcinoma in Yemen. There was a high prevalence of gastric H. pylori colonization (93%) and columnar-lined lower end of oesophagus (18%), as well as low prevalence of intestinal metaplasia of stomach (4%); this was not, however, related to chewing Qat. Further epidemiological and histological studies are needed to assess the significance of these findings in relation to the incidence of oesophageal and gastric carcinoma in Yemen.
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