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Kava, kava-kava, áwa, yaqona
Piper methysticum Forster f.
Piperaceae
Anxiolytic
Muscle relaxant
Sedative
Stress relief
For anxiety and muscle tension, standardized 11:1 root extract equivalent to 70 mg kavalactones, 1 to 3 times daily; for sedation, equivalent of 210 to 500 mg kavalactones, 1 hour before bedtime. Kava extracts do not produce tolerance or dependence.
Kavalactones: kawain, methysticin, dihydromethysticin, dihydrokawain, others.
Kava has been used safely in traditional Polynesian societies for centuries. In European phytomedicine, kava has long been used as a safe, effective treatment for mild anxiety states, nervous tension, muscular tension, and mild insomnia. These uses are supported by a number of well-designed clinical studies. Kava is traditionally reputed to induce a state of relaxation and calm without interfering with cognition, memory, or alertness. Occasionally, kava is recommended for urinary tract infections, although clinical evidence of efficacy for this application is poor.
Lehmann, E., Kinzler, E. and Friedemann, J. (1996). Efficacy of a special kava extract (Piper methysticum) in patients with states of anxiety, tension, and excitedness of non-mental origin–a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of four weeks treatment. Phytomedicine 3: 113-119.
Singh, Y.D. and Blumenthal, M. (1997). Kava: an overview. HerbalGram 39: 34-55.
