Latin Name
Piper methysticum

General Description
Drinking kava, a beverage brewed from the dried roots and rhizomes of an indigenous pepper plant, has been a feature of some South Pacific religious rituals for many centuries. Today kava is frequently prescribed, for that same euphoric effect, as an antidepressant; practitioners find it useful for treating anxiety and tension. Because of its diuretic action, it is also used to treat gout and rheumatism. In addition kava is believed to act as an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory agent in the urinary tract, making it suitable for treating urinary tract infections such as cystitis; it is also used for prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate gland) that may arise from bacteria traveling from the urethra.

Western herbalists recommend kava for its sedative properties, which do not seem to impair the user`s mental alertness. The active ingredients, called kavalactones, act on the stem and other parts of the brain to yield kava`s mild tranquilizing effect. While kava compounds do not seem to be addictive in the same way as alcohol or pharmaceutical drugs, the herb still must be used with caution.

Target Ailments
Taken internally for:

• Urinary disorders and prostate inflammations.
  
• Gout and rheumatism.
  
• Insomnia, depression, anxiety and muscle spasms.

Preparations
Available in dry bulk, capsules and tinctures.

Special Information

• WARNING: Long-term, constant, large-dose use of kava has been associated with damage to the liver, skin, eyes and even the spinal cord.