A Short Discussion on the Kava Issue

Kava or Awa (Piper methysticum) is a plant growing in the south pacific islands, which has centuries of traditional use. Eight specie variations are named by local natives and naming is based on the plants’ growth habitats. Where the plants grow in relation to mountains or lowlands, wetlands or flatlands and shade grown or full sun determines its name and particular usage. Traditional preparations generally include gathering fresh roots and sometimes aerial parts which are then chewed and mixed with saliva into a quid or pounded in a bowl with a little water. Coconut milk is then added to the bowl and hot stones from a fire are added to cook the whole mix. Once cooled the whole mix is filtered through a grass basket/sieve and poured into large ceremonial bowls for communal consumption.(1)

As a social lubricant the imbibers experience a calming and relaxing state with no impairment of mental function or muscular coordination like those associated with alcohol consumption. After an evening’s celebrations the revelers return home for a night of restful sleep with no apparent hangover effects. Imbibers of the drink after a social or religious event awaken refreshed and alert even if there was mass consumption. Medical users of Kava drink smaller amounts over a small number of days to affect a cure. While traditional cultures do not keep “records” of liver toxicity they do recognize and treat health and dietary conditions that modern science would describe as hepatic in nature. No correlation is “remembered” in traditional culture relating Kava consumption and liver disease until the advent of white settlers who introduced combining Kava with distilled liquor.(1)

Modern usage of Kava
Western usage of Kava rarely parallels traditional usage. The roots are ground in acetone or high ethanol (>60%) solvents to isolate a family of molecules (Kava lactones or pyrones), which are then concentrated to a “standard” quantity and deposited on a substrate or the marc and tableted. Tinctures can be produced using various methods. High ethanol extracts will represent only a portion of the plant while low ethanol (20-40%) most resembles the spectrum of the traditional brew. Combining high and low gives complete exhaustion of the plant material so one does not have to drink several cups to achieve therapeutic efficacy.(2) Taking a “standardized extract” tablet cannot be considered taking a herb. It is a drug. It was a herb once but now the isolated chemicals function as a drug with all the attendant complications of drug usage. This may make for easier “scientific” analysis but tells us precious little about whole plant (or part) usage.

Reports of toxicity
News reports and non-peer reviewed research fills the Internet with bad science and false or misleading information. These are multiplied every time they are quoted in subsequent publications. E.g.: in an European report, 21 of 30 cases of Kava toxicity were from “ people using standardized extracts while the patients were simultaneously using hepato-toxic drugs and/or alcohol.”(3) Another case is a repeated Los Angeles police report of 50 “ravers” being hospitalized from a free Kava based “ecstasy” product. What they really drank was 1,4-butane-diol and no Kava whatsoever. Close examination of FDA website reports revealed no cases of liver toxicity attributed to Kava usage alone.(3) If we count the cases of Valium or acetaminophen (Tylenol) liver toxicity reports the numbers are staggering. Where is the outcry over these relatively available drugs?

Conclusions
First: we must differentiate between what is a herb or herbal extract and what is a pharmaceutical drug extract of a herb and then call them by their right names.
Second: we must insist that if a statement is to have scientific credibility it must be true and good science that is reviewed by the whole community.
Third: scientific research should reflect conditions established by traditional usage and holistic, clinical herbal therapeutic parameters.

Kava has a long history of safe use in a therapeutically broad context. Once we remove bad reporting, all the drug abusers and a truckload of tortured lab mice from the arena we can see no reason to believe that Kava is toxic. Our government is misinformed and making a wrong decision. If you have any Kava products in your home, bring them to your local herbalist and enquire how to use it wisely or to throw it away.

(1) “Hawaiian Herbs of Medicinal Value”, Kaaiakamanu and Akina, 1922, Charles E. Tuttle Company, Vermont and Japan.

(2) “Kava Nature’s Answer to Stress, Anxiety, and Insomnia”, Cass and McNally,1998, Prima Publishing, California.

(3) “Herbal Hall” discussion with Hyla Cass M.D. 2002,Jan. 16

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