Botanical Index No. 588

Kava

piper methysticum

Medicinal Actions

Tonic, Colic, Elephantiasis

Primary Conditions Treated

Tranquilizer Anorexia Anxiety Arthrosis Asthma Backache Bacteria Blennorrhea Bronchosis Catarrh Chill Cholecystosis Cold Congestion Convulsion Cough Cramp Cystosis Debility Depression Dermatosis Despondency Dizziness Dysmenorrhea Dyspepsia Dysuria Earache Eczema Encephalosis Enterosis Enuresis Epilepsy Fatigue Fever Filariasis Fungus Gastrosis Gonorrhea Gout Headache Heart Hemorrhoid Herpes Hot Flash Hyperactivity Ichthyosis Incontinence Infection Insomnia Leprosy Leukorrhea Menopause Menstrual Cramp Migraine Myalgia Mycosis Nephrosis Nervousness Neuralgia Neurasthenia Obesity OCD Ophthalmia Pain Palpitation Prolapse Prostatosis Psoriasis Pulmonosis Restlessness Rheumatism Sore Throat Stomachache Stress Syphilis Thrombosis Toothache Tuberculosis Urethrosis UTI Vaginosis VD Vertigo Water Retention Wet Dream

General Dosage

1 tsp cup/night; 1.5–3 g dry root/day; 100–300 mg root several ×/day; 2–4 g powdered root 1–3 ×/day; 2–4 ml liquid root extract; 3–6 ml fluid extract/day; 1–3 ml tincture/day; 60–600 mg kavalactones/day; ca 250 ml kavalactones/day; 180–210 kavalactones 1 hour before bedtime; 1 capsule 3 ×/day.

Safety & Contraindications

Class 2b, 2c, 2d. Contraindicated for endogenous depression. Maximum tolerated doses for dogs was 60 mg/kg, for rats 320 mg/kg StX. Perversely, if the authors didn’t misspeak, the dogs tolerated 24 mg/kg/day. Of >4000 patients taking 105 mg/day StX, 1.5% had objectionable side effects. At levels 100 times the therapeutic dose caused anorexia, ataxia, dyspnea, hair loss, red eyes, skin rash, visual problems, and yellow skin. “There is no potential for physical or psychological dependency. Use should not exceed 3 months.” Germans limit use to 1–3 months. Commission E reports contraindications: esophageal and gastrointestinal stenoses; adverse effects: allergic reactions. Other sources report intestinal obstruction. Many reports suggest a yellowing of the skin in chronic users. “Chronic ingestion may lead to ‘kawism’ characterized by dry, flaking, discolored skin, and reddened eyes”. Persistent rumors suggest that overdoses can cause intoxication. Commission E warns against the concomitant use of kava with barbituates, antidepressant medications, and CNS agents. Lactating or pregnant women should not use kava. “Not permitted as a non-medicinal ingredient in oral use products in Canada”. Abuse by Australian Aborigines suggest links to hematuria, infectious disease, neurological abnormalities, pulmonary hypotension, nephrosis, visual disturbances, ischemic heart disease, thrombosis, and sudden heart attacks. The following quote might scare abusers, as it should, “Full consciousness is maintained with even fatal doses”.

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