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Essay On Cathinone

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Health effects Cathinone is structurally and functionally closely similar to amphetamine and can cause catecholamaines releases from pre-synaptic storage sites resulting in CNS stimulation and a variety of peripheral sympathomimetic effects such as tachycardia and hypertension (Hughes, 1973). Cathinone has a more rapid onset and a shorter half life than amphetamine (Kalix et al., 1985). The effects of oral administration of cathinone occur more rapidly than the effects of amphetamine; roughly 15 minutes as compared to 30 minutes in amphetamine (Wagner et al., 1982). Cathinone is probably the main contributor to the stimulant effect of khat. Cathinone is an unstable molecule that rapidly transformes into cathine. Cathine is a less powerful stimulant and the pharmacological conversion from cathinone to cathine causes the decrease of stimulating properties of khat leaves over time. Fresh leaves have a greater ratio of cathinone to cathine than dried ones (Chappell et al., 2010). Khat has psychological, medical, social and economic effects on human beings (Nencini et al., 1984). Most of the adverse …show more content…

Furthermore, it has a pronounced anorectic effect (Giannini & Castellain, 1982; Gough & Cookson, 1984). When the acute effects disappear, consumers experience feelings of depletion, insomnia, numbness, depression, lack of energy, and mental fatigue (Al-Habori, 2005). Unlike other drugs, Catha edulis does not seem to have a withdrawal syndrome and in extreme cases may lead to nightmares for a couple of days after stopping khat chewing (Al-Habori, 2005). WHO has concluded that khat consumption may induce “moderate but often persistent psychic dependence” the withdrawal symptoms after prolonged khat use seem to be limited (Halbach,

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