Kava

Kava is sometimes used during religious ceremonies and is currently promoted for relief of anxiety and stress. 

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Kawa-pfeffer, m. kava. -saure, /. kavaic acid, kcal., abbrev. kilogram calorie, keck, a. bold. 

Kava (kawa, Piper Mild to moderate Scaly skin rash, Limit use to no more than 3... 

This next example involves the well-known plant kawa. A psychoactive beverage made from the roots of this plant is used widely in the islands of the southwestern Pacific Ocean either for ritualistic or routine consumption. Kava is the common name for Piper methysticum Forst. f. from which several compounds responsible for the pharmacological activity have been isolated and identified. Representative structures of the family of styrylpyrones, commonly called kavalactones, are given in Fig. 6.6. The compounds are based upon a carbon skeleton consisting of a styryl function (C C ) attached to a six-membered lactone ring. The fundamental compound, kawain, is shown as structure [547]. Structural variants include... 

Hansel, R. 1968. Characterization and physiological activity of some Kava constituents. Pac. Sci. 22 369-373. 

Lebot, V. and Cabalion, P. 1986. Les Kavas de Vanuatu, (cultivars de Pipermethysticum Eorster). Coll. Trav. Doc. ORSTOM, Paris. 205 1-260. 

Shore, J. S. and Christ, C. M. 1992. Variation in cyanogenesis within and among populations and species ofTumem section Canaligerae (Tumeraceae). Biochem. Syst. Ecol. 20 9-15. Simeoni, P. and Lehot, V. 2002. Identification of factors determining kavalactone content and chemotype in Kava (Piper methysticum Forst. f). Biochem. Syst. Ecol. 30 413 24. 

Almeida, J. C. Grimsley, E. W. (1996). Coma from the health food store interaction between kava and alprazolam. Ann. Intern. Med., 125, 940-1. 

Campo, J. V., McNabb, J., Perel, J. M. et al. (2002). Kava-induced fulminant hepatic failure. /. Am. Acad. Child Adoles. Psychiatr., 41, 631-2. 

Conner, K. M. 8c Davidson, J. R. (2002). A placebo-controlled study of kava kava in generalized anxiety disorder. Int. Clin. Psychopharmacol., 17, 185-8. 

Mischoulon, D. (2002). The herbal anxiolytics kava and valerian for anxiety and insomnia. Psychiatric Annals, 32, 55-60. 

A classic example of a medicinal plant of Asia and the Pacific with GABAergic properties is Piper methysticum Forst. (Kava, British Pharmaceutical Codex, 1934), or kava-kava, the rhizomes of which have been used since a very early period of time by Polynesians to allay anxiety and reduce fatigue. Kava has been marketed in Europe to treat sleep disorders and anxiety. The beverage normally induces a form of euphoria, described as a happy state of complete comfort and peace, with ease of conversation... 

Baum SS, Hill R, Rommelspacher H. Effect of kava extract and individual kavapy-rones on neurotransmitter levels in the nucleus accumbens of rats. Prog Neuropsy-chopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 1998 22 1105-1120. 

Kava kava is not recommended as an anxiolytic because of reports of lack of efficacy and hepatotoxicity. 

Piper methysticum Forst is a bush tree from Polynesia, known under the local name of kawa-kawa its roots are used in the preparation of an inebriating social beverage called kava, the active principles of which are not alkaloids. Two alkaloids were isolated from the root 1-cinnamoylpyrrolidine (138) and 1 -(m-methoxycinnamoyl)pyrrolidine (139) (208). Their structures were determined by spectroscopic means as well as by total synthesis. 

Extracts of the plant Piper melhysticum have been used in Polynesia, probably for thousands of years, and Piper plantagiveum is similarly used in Mexico and the Caribbean. They produce a sleepy, relaxed feeling with eventual difficulty in walking. Dihydro-methysticin seems to be the most active constituent, but even this has little effect until about 3 g is taken. There would appear to be no point in synthesizing this or the other active compounds, but those interested may consult JOC 24,1829(1959) and Prog. Chem. Org. Nat. Prod. 20,131(1962). and Pacific Sci. 22,293(1968). For the best review see Bull, on Narcotics 25 59-74(1973). Some people find kava extracts quite pleasant. There is very little human research on these compounds and probably won t be (unless they become popular psychedelics). 

Hocart, C.H., Fankhauser, B. and Buckle, D.W. (1993). Chemical archaeology of kava, a potent brew. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry 1 219-224. 

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