Habitual khat chewing alters urinary inorganic profile in adult healthy males

Ibraheem M. Attafi; Mohammed Y Albeishy; Ahmed M. Hakami; Mohammad A. Attafi; Ibrahim A. Khardali

doi:10.1515/dmpt-2020-0161

Article

Habitual khat chewing alters urinary inorganic profile in adult healthy males

Ibraheem M. Attafi , Mohammed Y Albeishy , Ahmed M. Hakami , Mohammad A. Attafi and Ibrahim A. Khardali

Published/Copyright: May 6, 2021

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From the journal Drug Metabolism and Personalized Therapy Volume 36 Issue 4

Abstract

Objectives

Khat (Catha edulis) is a stimulant plant, and it is abusive to induce euphoria, alertness and activity. Concomitant use of medications and khat chewing predisposes to the appearance of drug interactions result in treatment failure or toxicity. This study determined the changes in the urinary inorganic profile in adult healthy males who are chewing khat compared with non-khat chewer males.

Methods

A total of 40 adult non-smoker healthy males (20 khat chewer and 20 non-khat chewer) aged 24–30 years were selected. Khat chewer samples were positive for cathinone and cathine and negative for other drug of abuse, while non-khat chewer samples were negative for drug of abuse include cathinone and cathine. Samples were selected according to their results in immunoassay and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMS) analysis. Cathine and cathinone were confirmed using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MSMS) analysis. Inorganic profile includes titanium (Ti), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) were determined by using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).

Results

The levels of Ti, Co, Zn, Cd, and Pb in urine were significantly higher among the khat chewer group compared with non-khat chewer. Ti, Cd, Co, Pb and Zn urine levels were 0.5-, 1.5-, 1.15-, 5-, and 8.2-fold higher in the khat chewer group compared to non-khat chewer, respectively.

Conclusions

We suggested that continuous khat chewing has a long term effect on metabolic pathway of therapeutic drugs that result in toxicity or failure of therapy.

Keywords: inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS); inorganic profile; khat chewing

Corresponding author: Ibraheem M. Attafi, PhD, Poison Control & Medical Forensic Chemistry Center, Jazan Health Affairs, P.O. Box 263, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia, Phone: +9661 7 324 1552, +9661 59161 0440, +9661 55851 8883, Fax: +9661 7 321 2301, E-mail: iattafi@moh.gov.sa

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Jazan poison control center staff whose support this work.

Research funding: None declared.
Author contributions: All authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission. Ibraheem M. Attafi contributed significantly in designed and conducted the experiments and analysis of data. Ahmed M Hakami and Mohammed A Attafi contributed in sample preparation, analysis and acquisition of data. Ibraheem M. Attafi and Mohammed Y Albeishy contributed in designed the experiments and analysis and interpretation of data. Ibraheem M. Attafi, Mohammed Y Albeishy, and Ibrahim A Khardali discussed the results and wrote the manuscript.
Competing interests: Authors state no conflict of interest.
Informed consent: Not applicable.
Ethical approval: Not applicable.

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Received: 2020-10-14

Accepted: 2021-04-07

Published Online: 2021-05-06

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Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/dmpt-2020-0161

Keywords for this article

inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS); inorganic profile; khat chewing