J Ethnopharmacol. 2003 May; 86(1): 45-9.

Effect of Catha edulis on plasma glucose and C-peptide in both type 2 diabetics and non-diabetics.

Saif-Ali R, Al-Qirbi A, Al-Geiry A, AL-Habori M.

Clinical Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Sana'a, P.O. Box 19065, Sana'a, Yemen.

In this study, the effect of regular khat chewing on serum glucose and C-peptide levels were investigated in both healthy male individuals and type 2 diabetic patients. The results presented show the levels of glucose and C-peptide of healthy individuals to be non-significantly different between khat and non-khat chewers which may be due to the rapid release of insulin which prevents the sympathetic khat effect on rising serum glucose. On comparing both diabetic groups, those of khat chewers showed a non-significant increase of glucose levels at 0, 1 and 2 h of khat chewing. However, the non-significant increase of serum glucose at 1 h of khat chewing corresponded with a significant increase of serum C-peptide (22%) levels. On selecting the base-line glucose of diabetic individuals between 200 and 450 mg/dl, both diabetic khat and non-khat chewers still showed no significant difference in serum glucose and C-peptide at 2 h post-meal. However, serum glucose was seen to be significantly higher in the khat chewers by 32.1 and 32.6% after 1 and 2 h of khat chewing, respectively. Along the same line, serum C-peptide was higher in the khat chewers by 39.4 and 12.9% at 1 and 2 h of khat chewing, though not significantly. In conclusion, chronic khat chewing does not affect serum glucose and C-peptide in healthy individuals while it increases glucose and C-peptide levels during the khat session in diabetic individuals especially those having serum glucose between 200 and 450 mg/dl at 2 h post-meal.