Clinical and experimental evaluation of the effect of Khat-induced myocardial infarction

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of Khat-induced myocardial infarction (MI) in Yemen.

METHODS: One hundred and twenty patients with MI, admitted to Al-Thawra Hospital, Sana'a City, Yemen, during the year 2001 and 120 volunteer controls were collected for this study. On the other hand, we used 48 adult male rabbits for this study and divided it into 8 groups. Each group was consist of 6 animals; group I was used as normal control, group II was given adrenaline 60µg/kg intravenous infusion, group III and IV were given Khat 1g/kg once daily for 2 months, group V and VI were given Khat 1g/kg 3 times daily for 2 months, group VII and VIII were given Khat extract equivalent to 1g/kg intravenous infusion, 4 hours after the last dose of Khat and adrenaline 60µg/kg intravenous infusion was given to groups IV, VI and VIII. The animals were killed by decapitation. Blood samples were collected from each rabbit for determination of their creatinine kinase-iso enzyme (CK-MB) lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase enzymes. Also, hearts were dissected out rapidly for histopathological study.

RESULTS: Seventy-nine percent of patients with MI were Khat chewers and only 20.8% were non-Khat chewers. Experimental study shows that Khat in a dose of 1g/kg 3 times a day for 2 months, Khat extract equivalent to 1g/kg intravenous infusion alone and in combination with adrenaline 60µg/kg intravenous infusion significantly increased cardiac enzymes (CK-MB, aspartate transaminase, LDH), also, the histopathological study for the same groups revealed multiple areas of infarction.

CONCLUSION: The present study has demonstrated that Khat chewing may be considered as a risk factor for the occurrence of MI especially in persons who are susceptible to the disease. It is therefore, recommended that Khat chewing should be avoided in persons who have any cardiovascular problems.