Why are our Harari women looking elsewhere to marry?

innovations-report 28.06.2004
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Leaves of the khat plant harbour a key to improving men’s fertility


28.06.2004




A chemical that occurs naturally in the leaves of an African plant could boost men’s fertility, researchers told the 20th annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology on Monday 28 June.

Khat (Catha edulis) is a plant that has been cultivated for centuries in East Africa and the Arabian peninsula. Chewing the leaves of the plant releases cathinone, a stimulant that produces feelings of euphoria. Cathinone is not very stable and is broken down into cathine (pseudonorephedrine) and norephedrine; all belong to a group of chemicals called phenylpropanolamines (PPAs), which are structurally similar to amphetamines and adrenaline.

Until now there have been conflicting reports of the effects of PPAs on male fertility. Amongst people who chew khat leaves there is a belief that it improves a man’s sex drive and ability to maintain an erection, but there is a question mark over whether prolonged use might adversely affect the male reproductive system, possibly causing abnormalities in sperm.

Now, researchers at the Centre for Reproduction, Endocrinology and Diabetes at King’s College London, UK, have studied the effects of PPAs on mouse and human sperm and found the first evidence that they stimulate the final stage of sperm maturation (capacitation) when sperm develop the ability to fertilize an egg. They then maintain the sperm in a potentially fertilizing state for longer, allowing them more time to reach an egg.

Lynn Fraser, Professor of Reproductive Biology at King’s College London, believes that these preliminary findings might lead to over-the-counter products that couples could buy to boost their fertility during attempts at natural conception, as well as providing another way to help infertile couples during IVF treatment.

“A number of PPAs related to the compounds we have studied are currently used in prescription and over-the-counter products, such as herbal dietary supplements used for weight loss and treatment of asthma,” said Prof Fraser. “We envisage the development of products that could be taken by individuals, either couples who might be having trouble conceiving or even those who have just decided to try to conceive, and who have no obvious problems. PPAs could also be used in IVF clinics as additives to sperm prepared for IVF or artificial insemination.”

Dr Susan Adeoya-Osiguwa, a senior post-doctoral research associate at King’s College London, and Prof Fraser incubated mouse and human sperm with cathine and then tested the sperm to see what effect there had been on capacitation and on the acrosome reaction, which is the final phase of capacitation when the cap (acrosome) present in the sperm head ruptures and releases enzymes that enable the sperm to enter the egg. Mouse sperm were also tested for their responses to norephedrine.

They found that cathine and norephedrine significantly stimulated capacitation in mouse sperm, while preventing the acrosome reaction. Cathine had a similar effect on human sperm. Cathine also stimulated the production of cAMP (cyclic adenosine monophosphate – a chemical messenger within cells) in uncapacitated sperm whilst inhibiting it in capacitated sperm.

Prof Fraser explained: “We know that cAMP stimulates sperm motility and that it plays an important role in the phosphorylation of many proteins, some of which allow sperm to ‘switch on’ and acquire fertilizing potential. This research provides the first evidence that cathine can regulate the availability of cAMP, first stimulating and then inhibiting its production; and that inhibition of cAMP in capacitated cells appears to be the molecular basis for preventing the acrosome reaction. If sperm continue to produce cAMP in an unregulated manner, then some will undergo spontaneous acrosome reactions and so ‘burn out’ before reaching the egg. Even if they are still motile, they will not be able to fertilize an egg because the acrosome-intact sperm has special docking molecules that play a vital role when sperm contact unfertilised eggs. No docking molecules, no fertilization!

“This study has shown for the first time that PPAs have a direct effect on sperm, initially stimulating the final maturing process and then preventing spontaneous acrosome reactions in mature sperm, thus maintaining them in a potentially fertilizing state*. When mouse sperm treated with cathine were mixed with unfertilised eggs, they were able to fertilise much more quickly than untreated control sperm; this indicates that PPAs do not interfere with the acrosome reaction induced in the fertilizing sperm by the egg. These preliminary data suggest that PPAs, at appropriate doses, might provide a new approach for enhancing natural fertility.”

More research has to be carried out in live animals, administering PPAs and then evaluating effects on the ovaries, the testes and the sperm, before this work can be translated into treatments for people. For instance, Prof Fraser and Dr Adeoya-Osiguwa would like to confirm the findings of another study that showed that sperm production in rabbits was stimulated when the rabbits were fed a diet containing dried, ground khat leaves. However, she said: “The fact that other PPAs have already been approved for use in preparations taken by humans should make the development of any product easier than if one had to start from scratch; toxicity testing will have been carried out already for the related compounds.”

* While the PPAs blocked a spontaneous acrosome reaction by inhibiting one signalling pathway, they did not block the acrosome reaction when it was induced by the egg. When the sperm’s docking molecules interact with the layer surrounding the egg, a different signalling pathway is activated that triggers a “real” acrosome reaction.

Emma Mason | Quelle: WordMason, UK
Weitere Informationen:

<H1>Leaves of the khat plant harbour a key to improving men’s fertility


28.06.2004




A chemical that occurs naturally in the leaves of an African plant could boost men’s fertility, researchers told the 20th annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology on Monday 28 June.

Khat (Catha edulis) is a plant that has been cultivated for centuries in East Africa and the Arabian peninsula. Chewing the leaves of the plant releases cathinone, a stimulant that produces feelings of euphoria. Cathinone is not very stable and is broken down into cathine (pseudonorephedrine) and norephedrine; all belong to a group of chemicals called phenylpropanolamines (PPAs), which are structurally similar to amphetamines and adrenaline.

Until now there have been conflicting reports of the effects of PPAs on male fertility. Amongst people who chew khat leaves there is a belief that it improves a man’s sex drive and ability to maintain an erection, but there is a question mark over whether prolonged use might adversely affect the male reproductive system, possibly causing abnormalities in sperm.

Now, researchers at the Centre for Reproduction, Endocrinology and Diabetes at King’s College London, UK, have studied the effects of PPAs on mouse and human sperm and found the first evidence that they stimulate the final stage of sperm maturation (capacitation) when sperm develop the ability to fertilize an egg. They then maintain the sperm in a potentially fertilizing state for longer, allowing them more time to reach an egg.

Lynn Fraser, Professor of Reproductive Biology at King’s College London, believes that these preliminary findings might lead to over-the-counter products that couples could buy to boost their fertility during attempts at natural conception, as well as providing another way to help infertile couples during IVF treatment.

“A number of PPAs related to the compounds we have studied are currently used in prescription and over-the-counter products, such as herbal dietary supplements used for weight loss and treatment of asthma,” said Prof Fraser. “We envisage the development of products that could be taken by individuals, either couples who might be having trouble conceiving or even those who have just decided to try to conceive, and who have no obvious problems. PPAs could also be used in IVF clinics as additives to sperm prepared for IVF or artificial insemination.”

Dr Susan Adeoya-Osiguwa, a senior post-doctoral research associate at King’s College London, and Prof Fraser incubated mouse and human sperm with cathine and then tested the sperm to see what effect there had been on capacitation and on the acrosome reaction, which is the final phase of capacitation when the cap (acrosome) present in the sperm head ruptures and releases enzymes that enable the sperm to enter the egg. Mouse sperm were also tested for their responses to norephedrine.

They found that cathine and norephedrine significantly stimulated capacitation in mouse sperm, while preventing the acrosome reaction. Cathine had a similar effect on human sperm. Cathine also stimulated the production of cAMP (cyclic adenosine monophosphate – a chemical messenger within cells) in uncapacitated sperm whilst inhibiting it in capacitated sperm.

Prof Fraser explained: “We know that cAMP stimulates sperm motility and that it plays an important role in the phosphorylation of many proteins, some of which allow sperm to ‘switch on’ and acquire fertilizing potential. This research provides the first evidence that cathine can regulate the availability of cAMP, first stimulating and then inhibiting its production; and that inhibition of cAMP in capacitated cells appears to be the molecular basis for preventing the acrosome reaction. If sperm continue to produce cAMP in an unregulated manner, then some will undergo spontaneous acrosome reactions and so ‘burn out’ before reaching the egg. Even if they are still motile, they will not be able to fertilize an egg because the acrosome-intact sperm has special docking molecules that play a vital role when sperm contact unfertilised eggs. No docking molecules, no fertilization!

“This study has shown for the first time that PPAs have a direct effect on sperm, initially stimulating the final maturing process and then preventing spontaneous acrosome reactions in mature sperm, thus maintaining them in a potentially fertilizing state*. When mouse sperm treated with cathine were mixed with unfertilised eggs, they were able to fertilise much more quickly than untreated control sperm; this indicates that PPAs do not interfere with the acrosome reaction induced in the fertilizing sperm by the egg. These preliminary data suggest that PPAs, at appropriate doses, might provide a new approach for enhancing natural fertility.”

More research has to be carried out in live animals, administering PPAs and then evaluating effects on the ovaries, the testes and the sperm, before this work can be translated into treatments for people. For instance, Prof Fraser and Dr Adeoya-Osiguwa would like to confirm the findings of another study that showed that sperm production in rabbits was stimulated when the rabbits were fed a diet containing dried, ground khat leaves. However, she said: “The fact that other PPAs have already been approved for use in preparations taken by humans should make the development of any product easier than if one had to start from scratch; toxicity testing will have been carried out already for the related compounds.”

* While the PPAs blocked a spontaneous acrosome reaction by inhibiting one signalling pathway, they did not block the acrosome reaction when it was induced by the egg. When the sperm’s docking molecules interact with the layer surrounding the egg, a different signalling pathway is activated that triggers a “real” acrosome reaction.

Emma Mason | Quelle: WordMason, UK
Weitere Informationen: </H1>

Some of these harari men need viagra not chat.

Yemeni people are known to have below average health compared with many other countries around the world. This has been indicated in more than one report by the World Health Organsiation and by special reports of the Yemeni Ministry of Health. One of the reasons could be that Yemenis have two dangerous addictions: smoking and Qat chewing. These two habits have grown tremendously in Yemen throughout the last 10 years for reasons still undecided. While there is a lot of attention given to the Qat issue in Yemen, relatively less is being given to smoking as a bad health and social habit. Health research indicates that both issues are hazardous to health… Here are some revealing facts.



Qat ands its effect:

Not much research has been done into the side effects of Qat. But studies indicate that it certainly causes weight loss and insomnia. It may also be the cause of mouth cancer and, although many claim it is an excellent aphrodisiac, in the long term it could probably also result in impotence.

In the USA and most of Europe it is classified as a drug and is illegal. In Britain and Holland however it is not and used regularly by Africans and Yemenis.

Studies in Yemen showed that the incidence of heart attacks among Qat chewers is 49% higher than in non-chewers. Regular users had bad gum disease, a tendency to lose teeth, and a higher incidence of esophageal and gastric cancers. The plant has also been linked to a reduction in sperm quality and impotency.

Sima,
Please list your sources, where was this information you randomly posted about qat searched from? Thanx

Mrs H

The chat leafe is not helping for errection but helps for fertility. I suggest the combination of both. Chat for fertilty and viagra for errection is needed. agree?

For impotency try:

Sorry, the forum does not allow links. Go to Google and type in "qat impotency" or simlar for the references

Khat chewing increases risk of heart attack:

A paper published in next month's issue of the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine has warned about the severe effects of khat chewing and called for increased awareness among doctors and the public.
Khat leaves are used recreationally by migrant communities from East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, particularly by Somalis.

"Khat chewing releases amphetamine-like ingredients, cathinone and cathin which release serotonin and dopamine in the central nervous system,"

said Dr Sagar Saha of London's Heart Hospital.

"Long term use results in increasing risk of heart attack, liver damage as well gingivitis and tooth loss. Research also indicates that heavy khat chewing increases the risk of oesophageal cancer.

"There is little medical awareness of the harmful effects of khat and we need to put that right urgently,"

he said.
Khat (also know as qat or chat) is the fresh leaves of Catha edulis, a shrub grown in East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
The legal status of khat, which is banned in the USA, Canada, Norway and Sweden, was reviewed by the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs late last year who advised against a ban.
The paper by Dr Sagar Saha and Dr Clare Dollery describe the case of a 33 year old man who used khat heavily. The man was admitted to hospital with a heart attack and developed severe irreversible damage to his heart muscle.

"Although health professionals are divided over whether a ban on khat is necessary, its use amongst migrant communities that are increasing in population must be addressed. There are no guidelines on how to treat and manage khat-induced harm which in turn affects the ability of doctors to provide holistic treatment,"

said Dr Saha.
Dr Kamran Abbasi, editor of the JRSM , said in the absence of a ban on khat a public awareness campaign was necessary.

"Unless there is a public awareness campaign, khat will continue to cause serious harm to the health and prospects of people from these disadvantaged communities. The difficulty is that khat is seen as an integral part of cultural life for these communities, and any campaign will have to be culturally sensitive."

[PDF 87k]

Khalid Shash, M.D.
Fellow, Cardiovascular Diseases/Electrophysiology
Barnes-Jewish Hospital
Washington University School of Medicine
660 South Euclid Ave, Campus Box 8086
St. Louis, MO 63110

What about second wife I what to take responsibility for harari women to be my second wife

Well, one of our sister in blood and flesh commented that her ex-husband was harari and let him go. Now she married to non-harari. She praised the non-harari husband. I bet you he is not better than your ex in any way. You just tolerated the latter of any fault and at the opposite side of the coin you were very sensitive to your tribe, ex-husband.
You harari women treat your harari husband like spoon and pot. You don't have respect for them. I think in your mind you see your dad how he treated your mom and now you want revenge it on your love one called husband. You caused a lot of misery and pain to harari men.

hey why u crying about harari women marrying else where forget them....not being sexist but let me tell u harari women belong within the walls and should never have got out....i know hararis almost extinct like dinosaurs but lets forget those women that turn their back on us and find women from other tribes that will be more than happy to be a harari

Hararis are lazy in most Ethiopians opinion. The city is a mess and totally inefficient probably because of all the chat chewing.

Do Harari women marry Amara Christians?

Very interesting discussion

hello every one how r u? zis is Binet i was impresseed on ur topic and i have a lot to talk about in this areas. for starters i just wanted to let every one know that we as hararian we do not need to insult each other by any point & just simply try to express our feelings dont u think ???

i realy agree wiz some of zem ...
y harari young mens be waht others men are...
i mean being successfull..zats what our prety harari grls are serching4..not only zat..2 be hot n romantic is ozer problem of our brozer...
life experience..i hav broken wiz ma girl frnd b/c of being shy..
she told me that 'm not hot n .....zat drive our grls chazing after anozer culture n relegion mens ..
hope ..
ozer problem wiz rarari grls ..zats of money , zey allways concern about money, why we dont see other cultures ..they belive that they can get what they want together....
zats ...wat i hav

n hope we harari people be in relation with each ozer..n bring new n with bigger number of generation...coz one of our problem is our poplation size ..n i realy want to see my poeple more in number lik ozer nations..
just thats what i feel for my people