Abstract
Probably the most recurrent error in the literature on qat, aside from its mistransliteration as “khat,” is the common designation of it as a “narcotic.” As the Latin root of this commonly misused word indicates, the term narcotic refers to a drowsiness-producing quality such as is typical of the opiates. But the most important experiential effect of qat is precisely the opposite. Like its close relatives the amphetamines, this substance stimulates mental alertness, wakefulness, and later, insomnia.
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Notes
For example, this error even appears in the article by Hess in the Encyclopedia of Islam 1976.
By far the best and most complete review of the chemistry and pharmacology of qat is Kalix and Braenden, 1985. However, it is only authoritative when dealing with strictly technical matters and the results of laboratory testing. For example, with regard to effects of chewing, they perpetuate several of the unfounded exaggerations that are found in the medical literature, e.g., that habitual use of the drug is “compulsive”, that malnutrition is directly attributable to it, that it results in impaired sexual function and impotence, that periodontal disease results, etc. (pp. 150–151 ). These assertions are all based on a literature which is itself suspect, since it relies primarily on heresay and unscientific opinion. However, anyone interested in the biochemistry and pharmacology of qat can discount these sections and should certainly consult this article for a most thorough and expert review of recent laboratory studies.
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© 1987 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
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Kennedy, J.G. (1987). The Botany, Chemistry and Pharmacology of Qat. In: The Flower of Paradise. Culture, Illness and Healing, vol 10. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-6876-0_7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-6876-0_7
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
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