PDR for Herbal Medicines

HERBAL MONOGRAPHS KHAT/447

grow into plants many meters in length. The thallus is

reminiscent of root, leaf or stem-like organs (in the case of L.

hyperborea stem-like). The color is greenish-brown to

reddish.

Habitat: The plant grows on the North Atlantic coast.

Production: Kelp consists of the dried, stem-like parts of the

thallus of Laminaria hyperborea (syn. Laminaria cloustonii).

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY

COMPOUNDS

Salts of alginic acid (laminaric acid, 25%)

Iodine (to some extent organically bound, 0.3-0.45%)

PRECAUTIONS AND ADVERSE REACTIONS
t No health hazards or side effects are known in conjunction
with the proper administration of designated therapeutic
dosages. The danger of induction or worsening of hyperthy-
roidism following internal administration of the drug exists
with dosages above 150 u\g iodide per day. In rare cases, it
can lead to severe allergic reactions.

DOSAGE

No information is available.

LITERATURE

Chen FP, Soong YK, Hui YL, Successful treatment of severe

uterine synechiae with transcervical resectoscopy combined with

laminaria tent. Hum Reprod. 75:943-7, 1997 May.

Chiu KW, Fung AY, The cardiovascular effects of green beans

(Phaseolus aureus) common rue (Ruta graveolens) and kelp

(Laminaria Japonica) in rats. Gen Pharmacol, 75:859-62. 1997

Nov.

Drozhzhina VA, Petrishchev NN, Fedorov IuA, The

enhancement of the physiological resistance of the periodontal

tissues in white rats under the action of biologically active

substances from Laminaria. Fiziol Zh Im I M Sechenova,

75:126-33, 1995 Dec.

Glatstein IZ, Pang SC, McShane PM, Successful pregnancies

with the use of laminaria tents before embryo transfer for

refractory cervical stenosis. Fertil Steril, 75:1172-4, 1997 Jun.

Kern W, List PH, Horhammer L (Hrsg.), Hagers Handbuch der

Pharmazeutischen Praxis, 4. Aufl., Bde. 1-8, Springer Verlag

Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, 1969.

Lin A, Kupferminc M, Dooley SL, A randomized trial of extra-

amniotic saline infusion versus laminaria for cervical ripening.

Obstet Gynecol, 75:545-9, 1995 Oct.

Nguyen MT, Hoffman DR, Anaphylaxis to Laminaria. J Allergy

Clin Immunol, 75:138-9, 1995 Jan.

Read SM, Currie G, Bacic A, Analysis of the structural

heterogeneity of laminarin by electrospray-ionisation-mass

spectrometry. Carbohydr Res, 75:187-201, 1996 Feb 23.

Schneider D, Halperin R, Langer R, Caspi E, Bukovsky I,

Abortion at 18-22 weeks by laminaria dilation and evacuation.

Obstet Gynecol, 75:412-4, 1996 Sep.

Khat

Catha edulis

DESCRIPTION

Medicinal Parts: The medicinal parts of the tree are the

leaves.

Flower and Fruit: The inflorescence is a cyme growing from

the leaf axil. The flowers are radial and inconspicuous, with

a fleshy disk and their structures are in fives. The calyx is 5-

lobed and there are 5 elongate-oval, white-yellowish petals,

5 stamens, and 3 blunt stigmas. The fruit is 3-sided capsule

with chamber containing 1, occasionally 2, seeds. The

brownish seeds have a wing-like, whitish aril.

Leaves: Khat is an evergreen shrub or tree that reaches about

2 to 25 m high. The leaves are opposite on flowering

branches. They are alternate, coriaceous, 3 to 12 cm long,

oval to ovate and crenate or dentate. The upper surface of trie

leaves is wax-like glossy and olive green. The older leaves

are occasionally red-violet.

Habitat: Ethiopia, Kenya, North Yemen, and northern

Madagascar

Production: Khat or Arabian tea is the fresh leaves or shoots

of Catha edulis. The leaves are harvested in the early

morning, 5 to 8 years after planting. They are kept in banana *

leaves, paper or plastic to prevent it drying out.

Other Names: Abyssinian Tea, Arabian Tea, Somali Tea

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY

COMPOUNDS

Phenyl alkyl amines (0.3 to 0.9%): khatamine, in fresh

leaves as chief effective agent (S)-(-)-cathinone (50% in

young leaves, in fully-developed leaves only 2%), becoming

dimers during dehydration, as well as (+)-norpseudoephed-

Jain JK, Mi shell DR Jr, A comparison of misoprostol with and

without laminaria tents for induction of second-trimester

abortion. Am J Obstet Gynecol, 75:173-7, 1996 Jul.

Reserve carbohydrates: laminarin (47%). mannttol (5-6%),

fucoidin, mannitol glucoside

EFFECTS

No information is available.

INDICATIONS AND USAGE

Unproven Uses: Preparations of kelp are used for the

regulation of thyroid function.