Catha edulis (Vahl) Endl., a Potential Natural Remedy for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus or a Complicating Factor: A Narrative Review

Abstract

Catha edulis, commonly known as “Khat,” is a large shrub that is native to the Arabian Peninsula (particularly Yemen) and some African countries, including Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia, and the plant is used traditionally for its psychostimulant, euphoric, and analgesic properties. C. edulis contains several pharmacologically active compounds, but cathinone is responsible for the vast majority of its pharmacological properties. Traditionally, Khat is known for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in Africa, particularly in Uganda. Numerous studies that explored this area yielded inconclusive findings. Some studies showed that chewing Khat lowers blood glucose levels (BGL) in non-diabetic patients, while others showed that ingesting Khat delays gastric emptying time, and this supported and explained the earlier claim of its benefit in Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). However, a recent meta-analysis gave a contradictory submission that Khat is associated with an insignificant reduction in BGLs in non-diabetic humans and animals with a significant increase in BGLs in patients with diabetes. Most importantly, reports suggested that Khat exacerbates common complications of diabetes, such as depression, sexual dysfunction, dyslipidemia, proteinuria, and hypertension. The current findings concluded that Khat does not have a beneficial effect on Type 2 DM. Chewing Khat is believed to be a risk factor for Type 2 DM for raising glucose levels and a possible determinant of its poor outcomes and prognosis.