Active Ingredient Kava (piper Methysticum G. Forst)

dried rhizome and roots of piper methysticum, a shrub native to oceania and known for its anti-anxiety and sedative properties. heavy usage results in some adverse effects. it contains alkaloids; lactones; kawain, methysticin, mucilage, starch, and yangonin. kava is also the name of the pungent beverage prepared from the plant's roots.

Source:

medlineplus herbs and supplements: kava (piper methysticum g. forst)

Medical Condition	Uses based on scientific evidence	Grade*
anxiety state unspecified	human studies have found at least moderate benefit of kava in the treatment of anxiety, and early evidence suggests that kava may be as effective as benzodiazepine drugs such as diazepam (valium ). kava's effects were reported to be similar to the prescription drug buspirone (buspar ) used for generalized anxiety disorder (gad) in one study. however, there is concern regarding the potential danger from taking kava based on multiple reports from europe and the united states that included	a
parkinson's disease	there is unclear evidence for the use of kava for parkinson's disease. kava has been shown to increase 'off' periods in parkinson's patients taking levodopa and can cause a semicomatose state when given with alprazolam. consult with a qualified healthcare professional before taking kava due to the risk of harmful side effects.	c
transient disorder of initiating or maintaining sleep	kava may cause sedation or lethargy. however, early research suggests that kava may not be effective for insomnia.	c
unspecified acute reaction to stress	early study results suggest that kava and valerian may be beneficial to health by reducing the body's reactions during stressful situations and stress induced insomnia. further research is needed to confirm these results.	c

*Key to grades
A: Strong scientific evidence for this use;
B: Good scientific evidence for this use;
C: Unclear scientific evidence for this use;
D: Fair scientific evidence against this use;
F: Strong scientific evidence against this use.