Photo is of the cut and sifted herb. The leaf of the plant is deeply veined and cordate.

A really relaxing, mouth-numbing herb. Good in small amounts in chai blends. Great for social gatherings. Do not overdose or use over long term.

Kava Kava – Piper methysticum

AKA: Kava, Long Pepper, Tonga, Waka, Yagona, Kao, and many more

Parts used:  Root; powdered extract of kava rhizome; peeled, chopped and dried rhizomes, usually freed from the roots and occasionally the stems.

Constituents: active component is kavalactone. Specific types of kavalactones include dihydrokavain, methysticin, kavain, dihydromethysticin, dihydrokawain, yangonin and desmethoxyyangonin.

Medicinal uses:  Calm anxiety, stress, and restlessness, treat sleep problems (insomnia); attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), epilepsy, psychosis, depression, migraines and other headaches, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), common cold and other respiratory tract infections, tuberculosis, muscle pain, and cancer prevention.

Actions: Anxiolytic, analgesic, diuretic, muscle-relaxing, anticonvulsant effects, sedative; reduces hot flashes; locally mildly anesthetic; improves sleep disorder; can produce altered vision.

Dosage/Administration:  The fresh or dried rhizome is ground to a powder (traditionally it is masticated to a pulp) and then macerated in cold water. The first filtrate is strained and drunk. The residue is then compressed and the second filtrate can either be mixed with the first or consumed separately.  Limit duration of use to 3 months.

Tincture:            100 milligrams of kava extract (containing 70% kava lactones) 2-3x per day.

Tea:                     1 tsp skullcap, 1 tsp lemongrass, 1 tsp chamomile, 3 cups of water.  Infuse herbs in hot water in a teapot for 5 to 6 minutes. Pour your tea, then add 4 to 5 drops of kava-kava tincture to your cup. The alcohol evaporates in the hot tea, releasing the active constituents, kava lactones, behind. You can adjust the measure up or down depending on how it affects you.

Decoction:        2-4ml dried root

Contraindications:  Not for use by children or during pregnancy; can be highly sedative and intoxicating and causes numbing to the mouth and lips. Safe when used according to recommended amounts, do not drive or operate heavy machinery. Not for those with a pre-existing liver condition.  Safety concerns have been raised over liver toxicity, largely due to the use of stems and leaves by supplement makers, as opposed to solely the root of the plant as dictated by traditional uses.

Kava shouldn’t be taken by people who are taking Parkinson’s disease medications, anti-psychotic drugs, or any medication that influences dopamine levels. Kava shouldn’t be combined with alcohol or medications for anxiety or insomnia, including benzodiazepines such as Valium (diazepam) or Ativan (lorazepam). It may have an additive effect if taken with drugs that cause drowsiness. Kava may have an additive effect if combined with antidepressant drugs called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI). Kava shouldn’t be taken with any drug or herb that impairs liver function (like grapefruit seed extract). Kava also may interfere with blood clotting, so people taking Coumadin (warfarin) or any drug that influences blood clotting should avoid Kava.