title: Cathinone, an active principle of Catha edulis, accelerates oxidative stress in the limbic area of swiss albino mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cathinone hydrochloride is an active principle of the khat plant (Catha edulis) that produces pleasurable and stimulating effects in khat chewers. To the best of our knowledge no data of cathinone on oxidative stress in limbic areas of mice is available. This is the first study of cathinone on oxidative stress in limbic areas of the brain in Swiss albino male mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  The animals were divided into four groups. Group-I was the control group and received vehicle, while groups-II to IV received (-)-cathinone hydrochloride (0.125, 0.25 and 0.5 mg/kg body wt., i.p.) once daily for 15 days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The level of lipid peroxidation (LPO) was elevated dose-dependently and was significant (p<0.05, p<0.01) with doses of 0.25 and 0.5mg/kg body wt. of cathinone as compared to control group. In contrast, the content of reduced glutathione (GSH) was decreased significantly (p<0.01, p<0.001) with doses of 0.25 and 0.5mg/kg body wt. of cathinone as compared to control group. The activity of antioxidant enzymes (GPx, GR, GST, CAT, and SOD) was also decreased dose-dependently: the decreased activity of GPx, GR, catalase and SOD was significant with doses of 0.25 and 0.5 mg of cathinone as compared to control group, while the activity of GST was decreased dose-dependently and was significant with 0.5mg of cathinone as compared to control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate that the cathinone generated oxidative stress hampered antioxidant enzymes, glutathione and lipid peroxidation.
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience and Toxicology Unit, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Ministry of Higher Education, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mohammed M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Safhi
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience and Toxicology Unit, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Ministry of Higher Education, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mohammad Firoz
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Alam
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience and Toxicology Unit, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Ministry of Higher Education, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Sohail
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience and Toxicology Unit, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Ministry of Higher Education, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mohammed Abdul
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hakeem Siddiqui
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience and Toxicology Unit, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Ministry of Higher Education, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Gulrana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Khuwaja
authors.affiliation: Poison Control & Medical Forensic Chemistry Center, Ministry of Health, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ibrahim Abdu
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Jubran Khardali
authors.affiliation: Substance Abuse Research Center, Jazan University, Ministry of Higher Education, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Rashad Mohammed
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Al-Sanosi
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience and Toxicology Unit, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Ministry of Higher Education, Jazan, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: drfislam@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Fakhrul
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Islam
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D029754:Catha; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D008032:Limbic System / Q000378:metabolism*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D000975:Antioxidants; D010936:Plant Extracts; C023665:cathinone; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005978:Glutathione
keywords: Antioxidant enzymes; Cathinone; Cathinone (PubChem CID: 62258); Glutathione; Limbic areas; Lipid peroxidation; Swiss albino mice