Kava Pepper, Kava Kava, Kava

Kava is a herb used mainly as an anxiety reducer. It has been shown to be an effective nootropic and also may be a cognitive enhancer.

  • Origin: Plant Based
  • Source: Itself
  • Type: Herbs, Roots & Barks
  • Age Range: Adults
  • Toxicity: Toxic in high doses
  • Outcomes: Energy and Mood, Anxiety, Depression

What are Kava benefits?

Kava, also known as kava kava or scientifically as Piper methysticum, is an herb belonging to the weed family and is native to the South Pacific islands. Pacific Islanders have used Kava for hundreds of years as a ceremonial drink to promote a state of relaxation. The active ingredients in kava are referred to as kavalactones, which account for 3 to 20 percent of the plant’s dry root stalk. According to studies, there is evidence that kavalactones provide some benefits to the human body, among them: Protecting neurons from damage; effectively reducing anxiety (sometimes at a potency similar to pharmaceuticals); reducing pain sensations; and reducing cancer risks, although the evidence is limited to mice.

Table of relations

Outcome
Sub-Outcome
Consistent effects
Strength of effects
Scientific articles

Energy and Mood Kava and Energy and Mood

Energy and mood are associated with several external and internal factors. Hormone release, brain chemical balance, nutrient metabolism, and several other elements alter the way the body and mind respond to daily activities. The compounds that benefit energy and mood are the ones that help in the balance of all these factors.
  • Anxiety

    Anxiety is the body's natural response to stress. It's a feeling of fear or apprehension about what's to come. It can be triggered by a specific situation and not last long - which is very common and ok - or it can be a generalized disorder (which is considered a illness) that can bring harm to everyday life and also cause other conditions like depression.

  • Depression

    Depression is a chronic and recurrent psychiatric condition that produces mood changes characterized by deep sadness, mood swings, loss of interest in activities, causing significant impairment in daily life.

Table of negative interactions

Drugs
Buprenorphine, Ketamine, Leflunomide, Lomitapide, Mipomersen, Pexidartinib, Teriflunomide

Related videos about Kava

References

  1. a b c d e f St. John’s wort and Kava in treating major depressive disorder with comorbid anxiety: a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled pilot trial.
  2. a b c d e Kava-Kava extract LI 150 is as effective as Opipramol and Buspirone in Generalised Anxiety Disorder–an 8-week randomized, double-blind multi-centre clinical trial in 129 out-patients.
  3. ^ Kava-Kava administration reduces anxiety in perimenopausal women.
  4. ^ Evaluation of combining kava extract with hormone replacement therapy in the treatment of postmenopausal anxiety.
  5. a b c d e f g h i j k Ulbricht C, et al. Safety review of kava (Piper methysticum) by the Natural Standard Research CollaborationExpert Opin Drug Saf. (2005)
  6. a b Singh YN. Kava: an overviewJ Ethnopharmacol. (1992)
  7. a b Mathews JD, et al. Effects of the heavy usage of kava on physical health: summary of a pilot survey in an aboriginal communityMed J Aust. (1988)
  8. a b c Schelosky L, et al. Kava and dopamine antagonismJ Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. (1995)
  9. a b Weiss J, et al. Extracts and kavalactones of Piper methysticum G. Forst (kava-kava) inhibit P-glycoprotein in vitroDrug Metab Dispos. (2005)
  10. a b He XG, Lin LZ, Lian LZ. Electrospray high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in phytochemical analysis of kava (Piper methysticum) extractPlanta Med. (1997)
  11. a b Clayton NP, et al. Immunohistochemical analysis of expressions of hepatic cytochrome P450 in F344 rats following oral treatment with kava extractExp Toxicol Pathol. (2007)
  12. a b c d e f g h i j k l Baum SS, Hill R, Rommelspacher H. Effect of kava extract and individual kavapyrones on neurotransmitter levels in the nucleus accumbens of ratsProg Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. (1998)
  13. a b c Olsen LR, Grillo MP, Skonberg C. Constituents in kava extracts potentially involved in hepatotoxicity: a reviewChem Res Toxicol. (2011)
  14. a b Whitton PA, et al. Kava lactones and the kava-kava controversyPhytochemistry. (2003)
  15. ^ In Vitro Toxicity of Kava Alkaloid, Pipermethystine, in HepG2 Cells Compared to Kavalactones.
  16. a b c Garrett KM, et al. Extracts of kava (Piper methysticum) induce acute anxiolytic-like behavioral changes in micePsychopharmacology (Berl). (2003)
  17. a b Keledjian J, et al. Uptake into mouse brain of four compounds present in the psychoactive beverage kavaJ Pharm Sci. (1988)
  18. a b c d Thompson R, Ruch W, Hasenöhrl RU. Enhanced cognitive performance and cheerful mood by standardized extracts of Piper methysticum (Kava-kava)Hum Psychopharmacol. (2004)
  19. a b c d Duffield AM, et al. Identification of some human urinary metabolites of the intoxicating beverage kavaJ Chromatogr. (1989)
  20. ^ Rasmussen AK, et al. Metabolism of some kava pyrones in the ratXenobiotica. (1979)
  21. ^ Zou L, Harkey MR, Henderson GL. Synthesis, in vitro, reactivity, and identification of 6-phenyl-3-hexen-2-one in human urine after kava-kava (Piper methysticum) ingestionPlanta Med. (2005)
  22. ^ Mulholland PJ, Prendergast MA. Post-insult exposure to (+/-) kavain potentiates N-methyl-D-aspartate toxicity in the developing hippocampusBrain Res. (2002)
  23. ^ Davies LP, et al. Kava pyrones and resin: studies on GABAA, GABAB and benzodiazepine binding sites in rodent brainPharmacol Toxicol. (1992)
  24. ^ Jussofie A, Schmiz A, Hiemke C. Kavapyrone enriched extract from Piper methysticum as modulator of the GABA binding site in different regions of rat brainPsychopharmacology (Berl). (1994)
  25. ^ Serdarevic N, Eckert GP, Müller WE. The effects of extracts from St. John’s Wort and Kava Kava on brain neurotransmitter levels in the mousePharmacopsychiatry. (2001)
  26. ^ Dinh LD, et al. Interaction of various Piper methysticum cultivars with CNS receptors in vitroPlanta Med. (2001)
  27. a b Backhauss C, Krieglstein J. Extract of kava (Piper methysticum) and its methysticin constituents protect brain tissue against ischemic damage in rodentsEur J Pharmacol. (1992)
  28. ^ Cropley M, et al. Effect of kava and valerian on human physiological and psychological responses to mental stress assessed under laboratory conditionsPhytother Res. (2002)
  29. ^ Münte TF, et al. Effects of oxazepam and an extract of kava roots (Piper methysticum) on event-related potentials in a word recognition taskNeuropsychobiology. (1993)
  30. a b Scherer J. Kava-kava extract in anxiety disorders: an outpatient observational studyAdv Ther. (1998)
  31. a b Malsch U, Kieser M. Efficacy of kava-kava in the treatment of non-psychotic anxiety, following pretreatment with benzodiazepinesPsychopharmacology (Berl). (2001)
  32. a b Pittler MH, Ernst E. Kava extract for treating anxietyCochrane Database Syst Rev. (2003)
  33. ^ Connor KM, Payne V, Davidson JR. Kava in generalized anxiety disorder: three placebo-controlled trialsInt Clin Psychopharmacol. (2006)
  34. ^ Jacobs BP, et al. An internet-based randomized, placebo-controlled trial of kava and valerian for anxiety and insomniaMedicine (Baltimore). (2005)
  35. a b c Cairney S, et al. Saccade and cognitive function in chronic kava usersNeuropsychopharmacology. (2003)
  36. a b c d Cairney S, et al. Saccade and cognitive impairment associated with kava intoxicationHum Psychopharmacol. (2003)
  37. a b c Spillane PK, Fisher DA, Currie BJ. Neurological manifestations of kava intoxicationMed J Aust. (1997)
  38. a b c Robinson V, et al. Final report on the safety assessment of Piper methysticum leaf/root/stem extract and Piper methysticum root extractInt J Toxicol. (2009)
  39. ^ Herberg KW. Effect of Kava-Special Extract WS 1490 combined with ethyl alcohol on safety-relevant performance parametersBlutalkohol. (1993)
  40. ^ Foo H, Lemon J. Acute effects of kava, alone or in combination with alcohol, on subjective measures of impairment and intoxication and on cognitive performanceDrug Alcohol Rev. (1997)
  41. a b c Jamieson DD, Duffield PH. Positive interaction of ethanol and kava resin in miceClin Exp Pharmacol Physiol. (1990)
  42. ^ Mathews JM, et al. Pharmacokinetics and disposition of the kavalactone kawain: interaction with kava extract and kavalactones in vivo and in vitroDrug Metab Dispos. (2005)
  43. ^ Schulze J, Raasch W, Siegers CP. Toxicity of kava pyrones, drug safety and precautions–a case studyPhytomedicine. (2003)
  44. ^ Sarris J, et al. The Kava Anxiety Depression Spectrum Study (KADSS): a randomized, placebo-controlled crossover trial using an aqueous extract of Piper methysticumPsychopharmacology (Berl). (2009)
  45. a b c Clouatre DL. Kava kava: examining new reports of toxicityToxicol Lett. (2004)
  46. ^ Russmann S, Lauterburg BH, Helbling A. Kava hepatotoxicityAnn Intern Med. (2001)
  47. ^ Humberston CL, Akhtar J, Krenzelok EP. Acute hepatitis induced by kava kavaJ Toxicol Clin Toxicol. (2003)
  48. ^ Gow PJ, et al. Fatal fulminant hepatic failure induced by a natural therapy containing kavaMed J Aust. (2003)
  49. ^ Sorrentino L, Capasso A, Schmidt M. Safety of ethanolic kava extract: Results of a study of chronic toxicity in ratsPhytomedicine. (2006)
  50. ^ Singh YN, Devkota AK. Aqueous kava extracts do not affect liver function tests in ratsPlanta Med. (2003)
  51. ^ Clough AR, et al. Health effects of kava use in an eastern Arnhem Land Aboriginal communityIntern Med J. (2003)
  52. a b Guro-Razuman S, et al. Dermatomyositis-like illness following kava-kava ingestionJ Clin Rheumatol. (1999)
  53. ^ Norton SA, Ruze P. Kava dermopathyJ Am Acad Dermatol. (1994)
  54. ^ Ruze P. Kava-induced dermopathy: a niacin deficiencyLancet. (1990)
  55. ^ Ernst E. Adverse effects of herbal drugs in dermatologyBr J Dermatol. (2000)
  56. a b c Mathews JM, Etheridge AS, Black SR. Inhibition of human cytochrome P450 activities by kava extract and kavalactonesDrug Metab Dispos. (2002)
  57. ^ Zou L, et al. Effects of kava (Kava-kava, ‘Awa, Yaqona, Piper methysticum) on c-DNA-expressed cytochrome P450 enzymes and human cryopreserved hepatocytesPhytomedicine. (2004)
  58. ^ Unger M, et al. Inhibition of cytochrome P450 3A4 by extracts and kavalactones of Piper methysticum (Kava-Kava)Planta Med. (2002)
  59. ^ Gurley BJ, et al. Supplementation with goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis), but not kava kava (Piper methysticum), inhibits human CYP3A activity in vivoClin Pharmacol Ther. (2008)
  60. ^ Effect of goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) and kava kava (Piper methysticum) supplementation on digoxin pharmacokinetics in humans.
  61. ^ Pittler MH, Ernst E. Efficacy of kava extract for treating anxiety: systematic review and meta-analysisJ Clin Psychopharmacol. (2000)
  62. ^ Hsu SY, et al. Toxicologic studies of dihydro-5,6-dehydrokawain and 5,6-dehydrokawainPlanta Med. (1994)
  63. Volz HP, Kieser M. Kava-kava extract WS 1490 versus placebo in anxiety disorders–a randomized placebo-controlled 25-week outpatient trialPharmacopsychiatry. (1997)
  64. Lehrl S. Clinical efficacy of kava extract WS 1490 in sleep disturbances associated with anxiety disorders. Results of a multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trialJ Affect Disord. (2004)
  65. Geier FP, Konstantinowicz T. Kava treatment in patients with anxietyPhytother Res. (2004)
  66. Gastpar M, Klimm HD. Treatment of anxiety, tension and restlessness states with Kava special extract WS 1490 in general practice: a randomized placebo-controlled double-blind multicenter trialPhytomedicine. (2003)
  67. Connor KM, Davidson JR. A placebo-controlled study of Kava kava in generalized anxiety disorderInt Clin Psychopharmacol. (2002)
  68. Wheatley D. Kava and valerian in the treatment of stress-induced insomniaPhytother Res. (2001)