DefinePK

Abstract

The current work was done on 27 adult apparently healthy New Zealand rabbits (24 female and 3 males). The extract of khat was orally administered to pregnant rabbits from 8th to 18th day of gestation at doses of 0, 3, 6 and 12 ml/kg. body weight. On 28th day of gestation, all dams were slaughtered and the fetal gross anomalies were assessed. The prenatal exposure to khat caused a decrease in length and weight of the fetuses. Cleft palate, meningeocele, twisted limb, umbilical hernia, resorbed feti and degenerated brain also were observed in the fetuses from khat treated dams. The present study indicated that khat possesses teratogenic properties on developing embryos. Also, we concluded that the developmental anomalies of khat are dose-related.