Piper methysticum - Kava Kava

Description

This pepper is a tall soft-wooded herb. The rhizome is irregular with a knotty crown, 12 cm thick with many tough roots with ends separating fibrovascular bundles, sometimes cut into angular pieces. The crown is soft, light, spongy, granular, starchy, dark brown, lighter where scraped, internally white.

Part Used

rhizomes.

Constituents

The major components are a number of lactones known as kavalactones or alpha- pyrones (kavaine, dihydrokavaine, methysticine, dihydromethysticin and yangonin); an alkaloid (pipermethystin); cepharadione A; ketones; yangonic acid, and cinnamic acids.(1-6)

Mode of Action

The kava pyrones have their main action on the reticular formation of the brain stem, with an endo-anaesthetic effect in the gastric mucosa and the bladder mucosa. The pyrones have local anesthetic action similar to is similar in strength to aspirins. The analgesic action can be as strong as cocain if local injected but can cause a harmless paralysis, found functionally to stop spasms. It has been shown to inhibit spontaneous motor activity, but not forced muscle activity in normal dose range. Its urinary relaxing effect has been use to calm down bladder infection and to treat gonorrhea. Kava-kava has been used as an antagonist to strychnine poisoning and tetanus. Kava extract has shown little antibacterial action but fairly strong antifungal action, but not against Candida sp.(7-16)

The anti-stress and anti-anxiety effect of Kava has been shown out in many studies as a single herb and in formula. (17,18) The literature is full of stories of skin lesions or ulcers forming by the over consumption of Kava. This only happens in some people. The action or cause of this phenomena is not understood. It has further been shown that after the scaliness disappears it can also reduce or even cure previous psoriasis.(19)

Therapeutic Action

nervine, relaxant, aphrodisiac (female), diuretic, antiseptic, vaginitis, chronic diarrhea, leucorrhea.

Energetics

Other

Tierra lists Kava Kava as pungent, bitter and warm; entering the Liver and Kidney meridians.(20) The odor is faint, characteristic, taste aromatic, pungent, bitter — more or less anesthetic.(21)

Folklore

Apparently the ancient Tahitians used this plant to create a ``stupefying`` drink and distinguished roughly 40 varieties of the plant. `Ava or kava was grown carefully in plantations which were selected for particular humidity and local conditions. In a small dose, kava kava was used as a tonic and stimulant.(22)

The herb is indigenous to Polynesia and Melanesia and was a popular drink used in religious rites. The rhizome is chewed or ground to produce a cloudy milky mash. The mass is intoxicating when it interacts with saliva. It was used to calm and relax a person, as well as increasing their mental activity. It has also been used for gout, bronchial and rheumatic ailments.(23-25)

Dosage(26)

1- 2 grams daily
Fluid Extract - 60 drops

Toxicity and Contraindications

Large, regular doses can cause skin and eye ulcers. The mechanism was once thought to be a niacin deficiency, but still occurred some user after consuming niacin. It does not effect most people even at large dose levels. (27)

References

1. Winzheimer E. et al; Investigation of Kava Root; Arch. Pharm. 246, p. 338 (CA 3:4296)
2. Young R.L., Hylin J.W., et al; Analysis of Kawa pyrones in extract of Piper methysticum; Phytochemistry 5(4) 795-8, 1966.
3. Veen A.G.; Isolation and constitution of narcotic substance from Kawa-kawa (Piper methysticum); Rec. trav chim 58, p. 521-7 (CA33:62719) 1939.
4. Weiss R.F.; Herbal Medicine; translated from sixth German edition; Beaconsfield Pub., Eng. p. 298, 1988.
5. Duke J.A.; CRC Handbook of Medicinal Herbs; CRC Press; Boca Raton Fl.; p. 381, 1985.
6. Leung, A.Y. and S. Foster, Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients: Used in Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1996, p. 330-331.
7. Weiss, R.F., Ibid.
8. Pfeiffer C.C., et al; Effect of kava in normal subjects and patient; U.S. Public Health Serv. Publ. No. 1645, p. 155-61, 1967.
9. Meyer H.J., May H.U.; Local anesthetic properties of natural Kava pyrone; Klim. Wochschr 42(8), p. 407, (CA61:9932c), 1964
10. Meyer, Hans; Pharmacology of Kava; Ethno-pharmacol Search Psychoact Drugs Sympos. 1967 (Pub 1979).
11. Kretzshmar R, et al; Spasmolytic activity of aryl substitutes pyrones and aqueous extract of Piper methysticum; Arch. Int. Pharm. 108(2) p. 471-491, 1969.
12. Kretszchmar, Rolf; Pharmacological investigation into the sedative, tranquilizing effect of Kava Pepper, Piper methysticum; Chem-Ztg. 98(1),(Ca81) p. 24-28, 1974
13. Kretzschmar R, Meyer, et al; Atagonistic actio of 5,6-hydrogenated pyrone of kava root (piper methysticum) against strychnine poisoning and experimental local tetanus; Arch Int. Pharm. Ther 182(2) 251-68, 1969.
14. O`Hara M.J., et al., Preliminary characterization of aqueous extract of Piper methysticum; J. Pharm. Sci. 54(7), p.1021-25, 1965.
15. Haensel, R., Characterization and physiological activity of kava constituents, Pac. Sci. 22(3), p. 293-313, 1968.
16. Weiss, and Schmidt, Fungi static effect of Kava drug and it components, Plant Med. 14(1) p.1-9, (CA64:13131h) 1966.
17. Singh N., Ellis C.R. et al; Kavatrol Reduces Daily Stress and Anxiety in Adults; Medical College of Virgina; 1998; p. 1-13.
18. Seitz U., Schule A., et al; Monoamine Uptake Inhibition Properties of Kava Pyrones; Planta Medica; Vol 63, 1997, p. 548-549.
19. Norton S.A., Ruze P.; Kava dermopathy; J. of America Academy of Dermatology; vol. 31; 1994; pp 89-97
20. Tierra, M., Planetary Herbology, Lotus Press, Santa Fe, NM, 1988, p. 235.
21. Culbreth, D.M., Ibid..
22. Flore et Faune Terrestres, Encyclopedie de la Polynesie, (ed. B. Salvat), 1986, p. 52
23. Weiss, R.F., Ibid..
24. Duke, J.A., Ibid..
25. Culbreth, D.M., A Manual of Materia Medica and Pharmacology, reprint Eclectic Med. Pub., Portland, Oregon, 1983, p. 149.
26. Culbreth, D.M., Ibid..
27. Duke, J.A., Ibid..