Catha Edulis - What Is It Made Of?

What Is It Made Of?

Although khat contains a number of chemicals, vitamins, and minerals, its most active ingredient is cathinone. Cathinone is an alkaloid with a chemical structure similar to amphetamines. (An entry on amphetamines is also available in this

Khat vendors in Djibouti, Africa, line up along a train stopped at a station in hope of selling their product to passengers. Francoise de Mulder/Corbis.
Khat vendors in Djibouti, Africa, line up along a train stopped at a station in hope of selling their product to passengers. © Francoise de Mulder/Corbis.

encyclopedia.) According to the www.streetdrugs.org Web site, "leaves less than forty-eight hours old are preferred" among khat users "to ensure a maximum potency of cathinone." As the leaves of the Catha edulis plant dry, cathinone turns into cathine, a far less powerful stimulant. The www.streetdrugs.org authors noted that "cathinone is approximately ten times more potent than cathine."