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Kava or kava kava (Piper methysticum: Latin 'pepper' and Latinized Greek 'intoxicating') is a plant in the pepper family, native to the Pacific Islands. [1] The name kava is from Tongan and Marquesan, meaning 'bitter.’ [1] Other names for kava include ʻawa (), [2] ʻava (), yaqona or yagona (), [3] sakau (), [4] seka (), [5] and malok or malogu (parts of Vanuatu). [6]
Jan. 31—Awa, a ceremonial Hawaiian beverage, is safe to consume as traditionally prepared, according to the state Department of Health. DOH said it has determined awa — also known as kava ...
Kava: kava-kava Piper methysticum: Sedatives, sleeping pills, antipsychotics, alcohol [15] Milkvetch: Astragalus: Astragalus may interact with medications that suppress the immune system, such as cyclophosphamide. [24] It may also affect blood sugar levels and blood pressure. Pineapple enzyme Ananas comosus: Bromelain
Kava is able to increase dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens [2] and desmethoxyyangonin likely contributes to this effect. This, along with several other catecholamines, may be responsible for the purported attention-promoting effects of kava.
Research suggests that methysticin and the related compound dihydromethysticin have CYP1A1 inducing effects which may be responsible for their toxicity. [2] Additionally, methysticin has been shown to potentiate GABA A receptor activity, contributing to the overall anxiolytic profile of the kava plant. [3]
The general structure of the kavalactones, without the R 1-R 2-O-CH 2-O- bridge and with all possible C=C double bonds shown.. Kavalactones are a class of lactone compounds found in kava roots and Alpinia zerumbet (shell ginger).
Later analyses of the implicated drug materials and products revealed that medical kava extracts contain less than 45 ppm of this alkaloid, while the leaves contain about 0.2% (2000 ppm). Based on this retrospective study, pipermethystine is an unlikely cause for the observed hepatotoxicity of commercial kava preparations. [2]
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