Journal
JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY
Volume 114, Issue 3, Pages 432-438Publisher
ELSEVIER IRELAND LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2007.08.042
Keywords
khat; Catha edulis; (-)-Cathinone; (+)-Cathine; (-)-Norephedrine; phenylpropylamino alkaloids
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Khat (Catha edulis Forsk., Celastraceae) is a perennial shrub that was introduced to Israel by Yemenite immigrants. Khat young leaves are chewed as a stimulant. The main stimulating active principles in this plant are the phenylpropylamino alkaloids (-)-cathinone [(S)-alpha-aminopropiophenonel, (+)-cathine [(+)-norpseudoephedrine] and (-)-norephedrine. A novel GC-MS analysis method for the quantitative determination of phenylpropylamino alkaloids and their putative precursor I -phenyl- 1,2-propanedione in khat leaves was developed. We found a marked diversity in the phenylpropylamino alkaloids content and composition in 9 different accessions originated in seedlings and in the commercial cultivar '' Mahanaim ''. The highest 1-phenyl-1,2-propanedione and (-)-cathinone levels occur in young leaves, the part traditionally chewed for its psycho-stimulating properties. Older leaves lack (-)-cathinone but contain the less active (+)-cathine and (-)-norephedrine. Young stems and flowers also contain 1-phenyl-1,2-propanedione, (-)-cathinone, (+)-cathine and (-)-norephedrine. We report the presence of a (-)-cathinone reductase in khat leaves capable of reducing (-)-cathinone to (+)-cathine in the presence of NADPH. We propose that (-)-cathinone is a biosynthetic precursor of (+)-cathine and (-)-norephedrine in khat leaves. (c) 2007 Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.
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