INTRODUCTION
Natural cathinones constitute a pharmacologically important family of compounds, related to the ephedrines and
amphetamines and well recognized as CNS stimulants. Vegetable cathinones are phenylalkylamine alkaloids
naturally present in the khat plant (Catha edulis), an evergreen slow-growing shrub or tree native to Ethiopia and
cultivated in East Africa and South West Arabian Peninsula [1]. The main natural cathinones present in the khat are
cathinone and cathine. Cathinone, the most abundant and powerful, is a beta-keto analog of amphetamine with a
molecular weight of 149.19 g/mol [2]. This molecule, formally named S-(-)-2-amino-1-phenylpropan-1-one, is more
labile in the presence of oxygen and it is oxidized and decomposed within a few days of harvesting or if dried .The
stored product loses activity rapidly, becoming physiologically inactive after about 36 h. It is for this reason that for
maximum power, khat should be picked in the morning and chewed in the afternoon [3]. Like amphetamines,
cathinone is central nervous system (CNS) stimulants, but is potency is less. These alkaloids cause the release of
catecholamines from pre-synaptic storage sites in the central and peripheral nervous system [4-5]. In addition, this
molecule may also have monoamine oxidase inhibition effects [6].
The psychotropic effects of khat start after about 1 h of chewing and they last for approximately 3 h [7]. Peak
plasma levels of cathinone are obtained 1.5–3.5 h after the onset of chewing while it is barely detectable after 8 h.
First-pass metabolism of cathinone in the liver leads to the formation of norephedrine. Only 2% of cathinone is
excreted unmodified in the urine. Cathinone derivatives are nowadays an emerging group of designer drugs, besides
synthetic cannabimimetics and pipera-zines. This group contains derivatives of cathinone itself (β-keto
amphetamines), β-keto analogues of methylene dioxy amphetamines, and pyrrolidino phenones [8–12]. Clinical data
INTRODUCTION
Natural cathinones constitute a pharmacologically important family of compounds, related to the ephedrines and
amphetamines and well recognized as CNS stimulants. Vegetable cathinones are phenylalkylamine alkaloids
naturally present in the khat plant (Catha edulis), an evergreen slow-growing shrub or tree native to Ethiopia and
cultivated in East Africa and South West Arabian Peninsula [1]. The main natural cathinones present in the khat are
cathinone and cathine. Cathinone, the most abundant and powerful, is a beta-keto analog of amphetamine with a
molecular weight of 149.19 g/mol [2]. This molecule, formally named S-(-)-2-amino-1-phenylpropan-1-one, is more
labile in the presence of oxygen and it is oxidized and decomposed within a few days of harvesting or if dried .The
stored product loses activity rapidly, becoming physiologically inactive after about 36 h. It is for this reason that for
maximum power, khat should be picked in the morning and chewed in the afternoon [3]. Like amphetamines,
cathinone is central nervous system (CNS) stimulants, but is potency is less. These alkaloids cause the release of
catecholamines from pre-synaptic storage sites in the central and peripheral nervous system [4-5]. In addition, this
molecule may also have monoamine oxidase inhibition effects [6].
The psychotropic effects of khat start after about 1 h of chewing and they last for approximately 3 h [7]. Peak
plasma levels of cathinone are obtained 1.5–3.5 h after the onset of chewing while it is barely detectable after 8 h.
First-pass metabolism of cathinone in the liver leads to the formation of norephedrine. Only 2% of cathinone is
excreted unmodified in the urine. Cathinone derivatives are nowadays an emerging group of designer drugs, besides
synthetic cannabimimetics and pipera-zines. This group contains derivatives of cathinone itself (β-keto
amphetamines), β-keto analogues of methylene dioxy amphetamines, and pyrrolidino phenones [8–12]. Clinical data
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