Kava Kava 40% Kavalactone Extract

General information:
Kava is a tropical evergreen shrub with large heart-shaped leaves and woody stems. Its thick roots are mashed or ground and made into a cold beverage used similarly to alcohol. It has a long history of ritual and recreational use in Pacific Polynesia and is now a common herbal product for anxiety, insomnia, and low mood. Kava is the national drink of Fiji!

History:
Kava has a long history of being used for its relaxing and calmative effects. Kava usage dates back thousands of years in South Pacific ritual history. The first Europeans given credit for recording the use of kava, were members of Captain James Cook's team during his maiden voyage to the Islands of Oceania in 1775. It is believed by some that Cook was the first white man to try the kava drink. Around 1778 the plant was given the scientific name of piper methysticum. While there is still debate as to the exact origin of the Kava, much evidence suggests that Kava, originally came from Melanesia.
Kava is a greatly respected plant in South Pacific culture. The beverage is prepared using the roots of the kava plant and water. The beverage was consumed for religious ceremonies, celebrations, and rituals such as a boy passing into manhood. It is also used for a wide variety of medical problems in the region.
The Fijians have made Kava their national drink which they call yagona. In Fijian culture, Kava was reserved for use only by chiefs and other male members of high status in the tribe. Kava is not an uncommon sight at special occasions such as the welcoming of a guest, commerce negotiations, religious ceremonies, and even weddings. Traditionally, Kava was drank in a circle around the Kava bowl. The order in which Kava was drank depended upon the social rank of the men in the circle, the Chief getting the first sip. Before the participants drank the Kava, a toast was made to health and life in the form of clapping and chanting.
Each culture has its own rituals surrounding Kava. For example, In Vanuatu, kava is drank only in the evenings after sunset. The Vanuatu-style preparation of kava is known to be strongest and best in the world. The men of the village would gather in a house designated for drinking the beverage while virgin women prepared it for the men . The Kava house served the same purpose as a tavern in western culture. It was a place to discuss the happenings of the tribe including politics, conflicts, and upcoming events. It is interesting to note that only virgin women could prepare the beverage for fear that impure women would contaminate the ritual.

Uses:
Kava is reportedly used for anti-anxiety, sedative, euphoriant, pain relief, insomnia, muscle relaxation, convulsions, and to promote social cohesion. It was, and still is, used much like alcohol, in these cultures whereas in western culture it is valued primarily for its medicinal values rather than for inebriation.

Mechanism of action:
Kava contains many pharmacologically active constituents that act synergistically to produce effects greater than those achieved with any single compound. The kavalactones, also known as kavapyrones or -pyrones, are responsible for most of the pharmacological effects. The six major kavalactones that have been identified are kawain, dihydrokawain, methysticin, dihydromethysticin, yangomin, and desmethoxyyangonin.
Kava produces dose-dependent effects on the CNS. The antiepileptic and neuroprotective properties of kavalactones have been demonstrated in animal models. Kavalactones produced centrally mediated skeletal muscle relaxation in vivo and smooth muscle relaxation in vitro. Unlike other CNS depressants, kava does not depress cognitive function or electroencephalographic event-related potentials. However, the ability of kavalactones to significantly increase barbiturate sleep time has been demonstrated in animals. Kavalactones also have significant local anesthetic properties. Kawain is equipotent to cocaine in producing topical anesthesia.
The mechanism of action of kava has not been fully elucidated, but multiple effector sites are involved. The anxiolytic and sedative effects of kava suggest that it potentiates γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) inhibitory neurotransmission. The first investigation addressing this effect found no evidence of binding in the mouse brain frontal cortex or cerebellum. A later investigation showed that kavalactones mediate their effect through GABAA in the limbic structures of the brain. In this study, the kavalactones and pentobarbital also produced a synergistic effect on [³H] muscimol binding to GABA. Kavalactones inhibit voltage-dependent sodium and calcium channels in vitro, possibly explaining the antiepileptic and local anesthetic effects. Kava may exert its effects through neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin, but evidence of this is less compelling.
Peak plasma levels occur 1.8 hr after an oral dose, and the elimination half-life of kavalactones is 9 hr. In rats, unchanged kavalactones and their metabolites undergo renal and fecal elimination.

Dose:
The recommended dosage is 150-300 mg of kava extract divided into two doses or 50 - 240 mg of kavalactones per day. However, it is not uncommon for traditionally consumed Kava beverages to total more than 600mg of Kavalactones!

Studies and Research:

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 84 patients suffering from anxiety, a daily dose of 400 milligrams of purified kavain (one of the six primary kavalactones) improved vigilance, memory, and reaction time.

In a study of 38 patients suffering from anxiety, kavain and oxazepam, a benzodiazepine marketed under the trade name Serax, were compared over a period of 4 weeks. Both reduced symptoms of anxiety equally as measured by both the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale and the Anxiety Status Inventory. Oxazepam, unlike kavain, is addictive and produces side effects such as drowsiness, dizziness, headaches, and vertigo. This study makes it clear that kavalactones possess anti-anxiety activity comparable to the benzodiazepines but without the hazards.

In a 4-week study of 58 patients suffering from anxiety, 29 were given 100 milligrams of a 70 percent kavalactone extract three times daily, whereas the control group was given a placebo. Those who took the kava extract reported a significant reduction in anxiety after the first week and said they felt markedly improved by the end of the study. As with other studies, no adverse effects were reported as a result of the kava use.

In an 8-week study of 40 women with menopausal symptoms, half were given a daily dose of 100 milligrams of kava extract standardized to a 70 percent kavalactone value, and half were given a placebo. The group given the kava experienced a significant reduction in menopausal symptoms, anxiety, and depression, whereas the control group experienced no significant change.

In a study of 12 volunteers, the effects of a standardized kava extract and oxazepam on mental function were compared. Using several parameters, oxazepam was shown to decrease both the quality and speed of responses to test questions, whereas the kava extract did not adversely affect mental function. In a word recognition test, oxazepam slowed reaction time and reduced the number of correct answers, whereas the kava extract slightly increased reaction time and recognition. This supports the oft-repeated claim of kava users that even when enough kava is consumed to induce a significantly relaxed, easy state, there is no impairment of mental function, including memory or clarity of thought.

In a battery of tests given to 40 subjects, kava extract did not impair their performance while driving an automobile or operating heavy machinery. Unlike alcohol or the benzodiazepines, kava taken in appropriate does not impair coordination, visual perception, or judgment.

Two groups of 29 patients were followed for 4 weeks. One group was given 100 milligrams of kava extract, equal to 70 milligrams of kava lactones, three times daily. The other group was given a placebo. The study concluded that the kava was effective in mitigating anxiety and tension, without any adverse effects.

Unlike the benzodiazepines, kava's effectiveness does not diminish over time. Whereas a person taking Valium, Xanax, or Serax may need to increase their daily dosage over time to achieve the same anti-anxiety effect, a dose of kava that works to control anxiety today will work equally well 2 years from now, one study shows.

Kava is currently being investigated at Duke University and at the Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City. Continuing studies in those and other places will help to establish kava as a beneficial anti-anxiety aid without harmful side effects. The message is clear as a bell on a quiet day. Kava is not only good for reverie, it is highly beneficial medicine as well.

Excerpted from “Psyche Delicacies” by Chris Kilham.

Additional information:
Erowid