Qualitative ultrastructural analysis of the submandibular salivary glands after administration of khat: in vivo study

• Published in: BMC research notes Vol. 14; no. 1; p. 180
• Main Authors: Al-Qadhi, Gamilah, Mubarak, Rabab
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 13.05.2021; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Amphetamines; Animals; Catha; Catha edulis; Chemical properties; Connective tissue; Fibroblasts; Health aspects; Khat; Mitochondria; Morphology; Oral administration; Oral hygiene; Physiological aspects; Plant Extracts; Plant Leaves; Qat; Qualitative research; Rats; Research Note; Saliva; Salivary gland; Salivary Glands; Submandibular salivary gland; TEM; Ultrastructural changes; Ultrastructure; Vacuoles; Yemen; Yemen; Khat; Ultrastructural changes; Catha edulis; Submandibular salivary gland; TEM
• ISSN: 1756-0500; 1756-0500
• DOI: 10.1186/s13104-021-05595-8

Khat (Catha edulis Forssk) plant has been widely chewed for its psychostimulatory effects in the African and Arabian Peninsula, particularly in Yemen. Considering the khat leaves are gradually chewed without swallowing, while its active constituents are extracted into saliva, studying the effect of khat on salivary glands is necessary. This work is an extension of the previously published work that studied the effect of khat extract on the rats' submandibular salivary glands in terms of histological and immunohistochemical evaluations. The current research note aimed to better understand this effect on the ultrastructure of submandibular salivary gland cells by using transmission electron microscope. Oral administration of khat extract produced degenerative changes in the secretory and ductal cells of rats' submandibular salivary glands. These changes involved irregular boundaries of variable sized-nuclei, dilated RER, cytoplasmic vacuoles as well as swollen and degenerated mitochondria.