Effect of khat on uteroplacental blood flow in awake, chronically catheterized, late-pregnant guinea pigs.
In order to investigate effects of khat chewing on uteroplacental blood flow, eight awake, chronically catheterized guinea pigs were fed 2.2 g khat leaves/kg in late pregnancy and regional blood flows were measured with the microsphere technique. Seven animals fed with aspen leaves in the same amounts served as controls. The mean concentration of (+)-norpseudoephedrine in urine 3 h after the end of the feeding was 4.6 micrograms/ml in the khat-fed group with no detectable amounts in the controls. Placental blood flow was reduced by 10% 75 min and by 24% 180 min after khat feeding. Since the khat dose used gave urinary concentrations of (+)-norpseudoephedrine of the same magnitude as those reported in khat chewing women, khat chewing in pregnancy may reduce placental blood flow and impair fetal growth.
Jansson
T
T
Department of Physiology, Gothenburg University, Sweden.
Kristiansson
B
B
Qirbi
A
A
D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D029754:Catha; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D010665:Phenylpropanolamine / Q000652:urine; D010920:Placenta / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000633:toxicity*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D014599:Uterus / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects*
D010936:Plant Extracts; C005331:norpseudoephedrine; D010665:Phenylpropanolamine