Alterations in antioxidant defense system in the plasma of female khat chewers of Thamar City, Yemen

Abstract EN

Chewing Khat leaves (Catha edulis) is highly prevalent in Yemen and East African countries.

Unfortunately, farmers use to apply pesticide for the better product of Khat.

The present study has been designed to investigate the activity of plasma butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and to assess the antioxidant defense system in the plasma of female Khat chewers in Thamar city, Yemen.

Plasma of twenty female Khat chewers and twenty controls (non Khat chewers) were prepared and the activities of BChE and catalase (CAT) were estimated along with the measuring levels of reduced glutathione, total thiols and cholesterol.

At biochemical level a significant decrease in the activities of BChE and CAT were observed in the plasma of female Khat chewers (P < 0.05) concomitant with reductions in the levels of reduced glutathione and total thiols (P < 0.05) as compared to non Khat chewers.

This alterations on the antioxidants resulted in decrease of plasma cholesterol in Khat chewers group (P < 0.05).

The present data show that the production of oxidants which are responsible for reduction in antioxidant defense system might be due to chewing Khat plant with more attention to the pesticide applied to the plant.