Khat (Catha edulis) up-regulates testosterone and decreases prolactin and cortisol levels in the baboon (original) (raw)
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The biological effects of khat (Catha edulis) on reproduction and fertility are inadequately investigated and controversial, hence we determined the effects of oral administration of high-dose khat on sperm parameters and male hormonal levels in olive baboons. In this study, 6 male baboons received a high dose of khat (500 g/week) during 1 month. Electroejaculation for sperm studies (concentration, motility and chromatin integrity) and plasma collection for hormonal analysis (testosterone, prolactin and cortisol) were done weekly during 1 month before and 1 month during khat administration as well as 2 weeks after the last dose of khat administration. Administration of khat extract induced a significant reduction in sperm motility (p = 0.008), sperm count (p = 0.041), sperm chromatin integrity (p = 0.0003), testosterone levels (p = 0.035) and prolactin levels (p = 0.0115), but not in cortisol levels and sperm volume (p > 0.05). The results suggest that high-dose khat decreases sperm quality and testosterone and hence may contribute to male infertility.Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.
Journal of …, 2008
Aim: This study investigated the effects of fresh khat extract on specific circulating hormones in male rabbits. Materials and methods: A total of 25 male New Zealand White rabbits were divided into five groups each comprising five animals. The first four groups were fed four doses (1.5 g/kg, 4.5 g/kg, 13.5 g/kg and 40.5 g/kg body weight) of khat extract twice a week for 5 weeks while the last group, serving as control, was fed only normal saline via intragastric tube. Blood samples were collected at 15 min interval for up to 3 h after khat extract administration and plasma assayed for luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone and cortisol levels using radioimmunoassay technique. Results: Khat extract at all doses significantly lowered (P < 0.05) LH pulse frequency, area under LH curve, mean plasma LH and mean plasma testosterone levels. Plasma cortisol levels were significantly elevated (P < 0.05) in khat-treated rabbits in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that khat may impair reproductive function in male rabbits by interfering with sex hormone profiles.
Aims of the study: Controversy surrounds on the effect of khat, a widely chewed herb for its stimulant effect on sexuality. This study investigated the effect of fresh Catha edulis F. (Khat) extract, synthetic cathinone and vehicle on reproductive parameters, including sexual motivation and performance, serum testosterone and cortisol levels, epididymal sperm count, and histoarchitecture of testis in male rats. Objective: This study investigated the effect of fresh Catha edulis Forsk (Khat, Celastraceae) extract, synthetic cathinone and vehicle on reproductive parameters, including sexual motivation and performance, serum testosterone and cortisol levels, epididymal sperm count, and histoarchitecture of testis in male rats. Materials and methods: Rats were treated with either Tween 80 (3%, v/v) in water, khat extract (100 mg/kg, K100; 200 mg/kg, K200; and 300 mg/kg, K300 doses) or cathinone (5 mg/kg, CAT5) intragastrically for four weeks and subjected to a battery of behavioral tests. Three days following the last administration, blood was drawn for hormonal analysis and the animals were sacrificed for sperm count and morphologicpathology studies. Results: K100 significantly decreased mount latency (ML) (p < 0.05) and intromission latency (IL) (p < 0.01) compared to controls. K200 whilst significantly reduced IL (p < 0.01) and intromission frequency (IF) (p < 0.01), increased postejaculatory latency (PEL) (p < 0.01). K300 significantly reduced IF (p < 0.01) and ejaculatory latency (EL) (p < 0.01), but increased mount frequency (MF), IL, PEL, and ML (p < 0.01, in all cases). With CAT5, MF (p < 0.05) and IL (p < 0.01) were significantly greater but EL and IF were lower (p < 0.05, in both cases) than controls. Serum levels of testosterone were doubled in K100 (p < 0.01), but a significant decrease was recorded in both K200 (18%, p < 0.01) and K300 (50%, p < 0.01) rats. Whereas K100 did not have any effect on cortisol levels, K200 and K300 significantly increased by 83% (p < 0.05) and 164.5% (p < 0.01), respectively. CAT5 affected neither serum testosterone nor cortisol levels. Khat extract demonstrated a dose-dependent decline in epididymal sperm count: 50% with K100 (p < 0.05), 78% with K200 (p < 0.01) and 89% with K300 (p < 0.01). CAT5 did not, however, produce any significant change in sperm count. Khat extract and cathinone did not produce any discernible damage on testis. Conclusion: Mild dose of khat improves sexual motivation, without much effect on performance. With increasing dose, however, both motivation and performance are reduced. Although testosterone levels correlated well with motivation, there was dissociation with sperm count, indicating optimum level might be required for normal spermatogenesis.
The Reproductive and Thyroid Hormonal Profile of Khat (Catha edulis) Chewers
The effects of khat on the hormonal levels have been established; however, the effects on human beings are controversial. The aim of our study was to investigate the possible effects of khat on the levels of serum thyroid hormones, tes-tosterone, estradiol (E2), prolactin and cortisol in men. A total of 50 blood samples were collected from healthy males who referred to chew khat for more than 10 years and analyzed for the above hormones. The results were compared to the hormonal levels of 35 non khat chewers. Chewing khat causes significant increases in the testosterone (P < 0.03), prolactin (P < 0.05), E2 (P < 0.00005), FT3 (P < 0.04), and TSH (P < 0.05) levels. No significant differences were found in the serum level of FT4 between the two groups. The level of cortisol were significantly lower (P < 0.001) in the khat chewers group compared to the control group. This study suggests that khat chewing can cause reduction in the cortisol level, which may cause increases of testosterone, prolactin and E2. In addition, chewing khat increases the level of TSH and FT3 serum levels. Therefore, khat may contribute to the relevant disorders caused by abnormal levels of the studied hormones in the people who are chewing khat
2017
Khat (Catha edulis) is a dicotyledonous evergreen shrub of the family Celastraceae whose fresh leaves are habitually chewed for their euphoric properties. The habit of khat chewing is mainly found in Arabia, Somalia, Kenya and has spread to Asia, Europe and other parts of the world due to improvement in transport and communication. Khat consumption was traditionally confined to adult men of the population. However; today khat chewing has become popular among all segments of the population including reproductive aged women. Studies have indicated that khat consumption can be associated with infertility and cardiovascular diseases. However, there have been no such studies on the effects of khat on immunological profiles especially in pregnant females, blood pressure, body weight as well as foetal development during pregnancy. Therefore, the present study sought to determine the effect of crude khat extract on Th 1/Th 2 cytokines, chemokines, blood pressure, weight of pregnant baboons ...
Metabolic Brain Disease, 2014
This study reports acute and sub-chronic effects of cathinone on hormonal alterations in single-caged vervet monkeys. Fourteen adult vervet monkeys were used, 12 of which were treated and 2 controls. Pre-treatment phase of 1 month aimed at establishing baseline levels of hormones while treatment phase of 4 months considered the dose-and time-response effects of cathinone on serum cortisol and prolactin levels. Test animals were allocated four groups of three animals each and administered 0.8, 1.6, 3.2 and 6.4 mg/kg body weight of cathinone orally while controls were administered normal saline. Treatment was done at alternate days of each week. Serum prolactin and cortisol immunoassays were done. Hormonal data was analysed by repeated measures ANCOVA. Results indicate a dose [F (4, 8) =218, P < 0.001] and time [F (18, 142) =21.7, P <0.001] dependent effect of cathinone on cortisol levels with a significant dose by week interaction [F (71, 142) =4.86, P <0.001]. Similarly, there was a decrease in serum prolactin [F (4, 8) =267, P < 0.001] with escalating doses of cathinone with a significant dose x week interaction [F (59, 118) =13.03, P <0.001]. The findings demonstrate that at high doses and long-term exposure, cathinone causes hormonal alterations probably via changes in hypothalamo-hypophyseo-adrenocortical and gonadal axes integrity.
Anatomia, Histologia, Embryologia, 2020
The present study aimed at analysing the effect of Khat plant extract on rat testicular development. Thirty‐two weaned male albino rats (4 weeks old) were divided into four groups consisting of eight animals each. While control animals received normal saline, rats of groups I, II and III received 100, 200 and 300 mg Khat extract per kg body weight dissolved in distilled water by oral gavage daily for 8 weeks, respectively. Blood samples were collected in separate heparinized tubes by cardiac puncture from each rat and processed for measuring plasma levels of reproductive hormones LH, FSH, testosterone and prolactin. Five‐µm sections were stained with haematoxylin and eosin and examined by light microscope. Some sections were immunostained for protamine‐1 representing a biomarker for intact sperm differentiation. The present study clearly demonstrated that Khat extract has a pronounced effect on testicular maturation of developing albino rats at both the morphological and functional ...
IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 2019
Uncontrolled population of dogs can be avoided if pet owner can find easy and inexpensive methods to prevent pregnancy in their dogs. The use of natural ingredients for contraception derived from plants is called herbal contraception. Gossypol is a polyphenolic compound produced by pigment glands, especially in the seeds of cotton plants (Gossipium sp).Cotton seeds, a primary content of gossypol, is an antifertility substance that affects reproductive hormones control and has a cytotoxic effect. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of kapok seed extract on male reproductive system by measuring blood serum testosterone level and weight of male reproductive organs. The administrations of kapok seed extract in male rats were given 0.5 ml/rat/day by gavage method for 33 days. Thirty two male rats were divided into 4 groups i.e. control group (only given aquadest) and treatment groups namelyT1, T2 and T3 which were given kapok seed extract at the doses of 0.07; 0.12 and 0.24 mg/ kg bw/day, respectively. The administration of kapok seed extract (Ceiba pentandra Gaertn) decreased the testosterone level and the weight of the reproductive organs of male rats (Rattus norvegicus).
Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2007
Isolated mouse interstitial cells were incubated with different concentrations of khat (Catha edulis) extract (0.06 mg/ml, 0.6 mg/ml, 6 mg/ml, 30 mg/ml and 60 mg/ml) and cell viability as well as testosterone concentration measured at 30 min intervals over a 3 h incubation period. High concentrations of khat extract (30 mg/ml and 60 mg/ml) significantly inhibited testosterone production while low concentrations (0.06 mg/ml, 0.6 mg/ml and 6 mg/ml) significantly stimulated (P < 0.05) testosterone production by mouse interstitial cells. Similarly, at concentrations of 30 mg/ml and 60 mg/ml, there was a significant decrease in interstitial cell viability, whereas at 0.06 mg/ml, 0.6 mg/ml and 6 mg/ml there was no significant decrease. There was only a weak correlation (r = 0.39) between testosterone production and viable interstitial cells. We postulate that khat extract at high concentrations may cause reproductive function impairment in the user but at low concentrations, may enhance testosterone production with accompanying effects on reproductive functions in male mice.