Topic Shorts & Resources

Kava Kava:

An esteemed mind and mood altering agent that occupies a
central place in the culture and customs of the South Pacific. A
robust and attractive perennial shrub with smooth, heart-shaped
green leaves, kava is a member of the Piperaceae (pepper)
family. A lush, leafy green plant, it grows densely and is
harvested when it is approximately six to eight feet in height.
Kava is planted in a manner similar to that of sugarcane.
Sections of kava stalks are laid in trenches of mud, where they
sprout. The stalk sections are then planted in shallow trenches,
where they grow to maturity in five to seven years.

Because of its importance as a ceremonial and beverage plant,
kava is still cultivated in many parts of the Pacific. The plants are
often tended in small gardens near houses.

An indication of just how important kava cultivation has been in
the Pacific is the sheer number of types which the indigenous
people recognise. In Vanuatu alone natives are known to
classify kava into 247 types! Kava was, and still is in many
regions of the Pacific, an important medicine being used in the
treatment of rheumatism, menstrual problems, venereal disease,
tuberculosis and even leprosy. By putting kava leaves in the
vagina, abortions were said to be provoked.
For centuries, this plant from the South Seas has been used as
an effective and natural way to relieve stress. The Western
world is just catching on to this safe alternative to potentially
dangerous tranquilizers, sleeping pills, and antidepressants.
Compared with other drugs or alcohol, kava offers tranquil relief
without side effects, without being habit forming, and without
costing a fortune. The effect is comparable to drinking a glass of
wine. In the Pacific, kava is considered to reduce anxiety without
dulling the mind.

A great deal of chemical research has been done on kava, but plants grown in different places appear to vary in
composition. The principal ingredients are alpha-pyrones: methysticin, kawain, dihydromethysticin (DHM), and
yangonin, as well as derivatives of these compounds. The leaves contain an alkaloid, pipermethystine, which is found in
only trace amounts in the roots.

Although Hawaiian healers used kava for dozens of purposes, there is no question that its use to induce relaxation is
not culture-specific. Tests on animals show that extracts of the drug – but no single identified compound – cause muscle
relaxation to the point that animals fall out of revolving cages. Kava was used in Hawaii to reduce anxiety, bring on
sleep, counteract fatigue, and treat asthma, arthritis pains, and urinary difficulties. Kava appears to act as a diuretic,
and the root was even used as a weight loss agent. Medical tests suggest it may be helpful in treating psychosomatic
symptoms in menopause.

Kava should not be taken for more than three months at a time except under a doctor's supervision. The tested dose is
100 mg of dry kava extract three times a day, standardized to 70 mg kava lactones in each dose. At higher doses
people may find it hard to walk straight or remember things, and at any dose they should avoid driving or combining
kava with alcohol or anti-anxiety drugs such as Ativan or Xanax. Some people find kava upsets the stomach. It can lead
to blurry vision, yellow skin and rashes or allergic reactions. Daily use for months may result in serious complications.