EFFECT OF KHATAMINES AND THEIR ENANTIOMERS ON ASPIRIN, INDOMETHACIN, PHENYLBUTAZONE AND RESERPINE INDUCED GASTRIC-ULCERS IN RATS

The effect of cathinone and N-formylnorephedrine, two psychoactive ami nes of khat (Catha edulis Forsk.) and their enantiomers have been stud ied for their ability to protect the gastric mucosa against the injuri es caused by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs-NSAID's (aspirin, in domethacin, phenylbutazone), reserpine and cytodestructive agents (0.6 M Hcl, 0.2 M NaOH, 80% Ethanol). Pretreatment with cathinone at the d ose of 10 and 30 mg/kg and 5 and 10 mg/kg produced a significant decre ase in the intensity of ulceration by NSAID's and cytodestructive agen ts. However, all the khatamines used in the present study did not show similar response pattern against each ulcer model studied. The result s of this study demonstrate that (-)-cathinone produced most potent an ti-ulcer as well as cytoprotective activity. The (+)-cathinone was fou nd to be potent than the enantionmeric forms of N-formylnorephedrine. All the khatamines used in this study failed to show any significant r eduction in the intensity of ulceration produced by reserpine. The res ults indicate that the khatamines appear to account for the protective effect of gastric ulceration induced by NSAID's and cytoprotective ag ents and are associated with khat use.