Kaurene as the major constituent of the essential oils of the narcotic plant, Khat (Catha edulis Forsk)

Khat (Catha edulis Forsk) is a narcotic plant which contains significant amounts of amphetamines, like alkaloids. Herein, analysis of the essential oil composition showed that Khat has useful volatile chemicals in addition to its alkaloids. Results indicated that among 35 identified constituents inc...

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Published inNatural product research Vol. 33; no. 1; pp. 126 - 129
Main Authors Gholami, Morteza, Esmaeilzadeh Bahabadi, Sedigheh
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published England Taylor & Francis 02.01.2019
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Subjects
Alkaloids
Amphetamines
Cancer
Catha edulis
cathinone
Chemical composition
Constituents
Essential oils
essential oils composition
kaurene
Narcotics
Oils & fats
Organic chemistry
Sesquiterpenes
cathinone
amphetamines
essential oils composition
kaurene
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Summary:Khat (Catha edulis Forsk) is a narcotic plant which contains significant amounts of amphetamines, like alkaloids. Herein, analysis of the essential oil composition showed that Khat has useful volatile chemicals in addition to its alkaloids. Results indicated that among 35 identified constituents including mono and sesquiterpenes, the diterpene kaurene, comprises the major part of the essential oil, around 50 percent of total. Kaurene is known as a potent biological agent for the treatment of cancer patients. The presence of kaurene at high levels indicates that the essential oil of Catha edulis can potentially be more effectively exploited rather than its narcotic stimulant amphetamine-like alkaloids.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
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ISSN:1478-6419
1478-6427
DOI:10.1080/14786419.2018.1437424