Pharmaceutical name:

英文藥名﹕

Radix Piper metystici

Botanical name:

學名﹕

Piper methysticum Forst

Other Names:

別名﹕

awa (Hawaii), 'ava (Samoa), yaqona (Fiji), and sakau (Pohnpei). [7]

Common Name:

英文普通名﹕

The name kava(-kava) is from Tongan and Marquesan.[7]

Distribution:

產地﹕

Southern pacific.

南太平洋岛嶼。

Properties

(characteristics)﹕

性味﹕

Channels (meridians) entered:

歸經﹕

Medical functions:

藥理﹕

Methoxyyangonin, one of the kavalactones, is a reversible MAO-B inhibitor.

Kavalactones can potentiate GABA_A and produce calming effect. [5]

甲氧基醉椒素 (methoxyyangonin)是 卡瓦內酯之一，是一個可逆的單胺氧化酶-B的抑制劑。
卡瓦內酯可以可能加強胺基丁酸A的作用 而產生鎮靜作用。[5]

Actions & Indications:

主治﹕

Being used for treatment of anxiety, depression and insomnia.

用於治療焦慮，憂鬱，於失眠症。

Chemical ingredients:

化學成份﹕

fresh root on average is 80 percent water. Dry root consists of approximately 43 percent starch, 20 percent fibers, 12 percent water, 3.2 percent sugars, 3.6 percent proteins, 3.2 percent minerals and 15 percent kavalactones, although the kavalactone component can vary between 3 percent and 20 percent of rootstock dry weight depending on the age of the plant and the cultivar.[1] Stems and leaves contain pipermethystine.

鮮根平均含80％的水份。 乾燥根約含澱粉43％，纖維20％，水12％ ，糖 3.2％，蛋白質 3.6％ ，礦物質 3.2％ ，和卡 瓦內酯(kavalactones)15％。 但是卡瓦內酯的含量可能由 3％至 20％ [1]依植 物的年齡和品種之不同。莖和葉中含有卡瓦醉素(pipermethystine)。
 

Dosage:

用量﹕

Dry rood powder: 1 table spoon to 8 table spoon to a cup of water and soak for 30 minutes. Strain the liquid through cotton bag. Wring out the bag. Milk or coconut water and other flavor enhancers are usually added to improve taste.

Commercial preparation: since the amount of kavalactones vary. Follow the recommendation of creditable manufacturers.

根的乾燥粉末：1～8湯匙加水一杯。浸三十 分鐘。用布袋過滤。較出餘滴。可加牛奶，椰子水，或其他調味品。

商業成品：可根据信用可靠的製造商提供的用法，因為各産品的有效成份卡 瓦內酯(kavalactones)不同。

Samples of formulae:

處方舉例﹕

See dosage item above.

看以上用量條。

Toxicity & Cautions:

毒素與禁忌﹕

Pipermethystine contained in stems and leave can be toxic to the liver.

Flavokavain B found in the rhizoma may contribute to the toxicity

effect. [2]

Kava has been reported to cause liver damage, including hepatitis and liver failure [4].

Kava has been associated with several cases of dystonia (abnormal muscle spasm or involuntary muscle movements).

Kava may interact with several drugs, including drugs used for Parkinson's disease.

Long-term and/or heavy use of kava may result in scaly, yellowed skin.

Kava has been reported to cause drowsiness. Avoid driving and operating heavy machinery while taking kava.  [3]

Do not use in case of having surgery or during pregnancy or during breast feeding.[6]

Pipermethystine包 含在莖和葉，可對肝臟有毒。
Flavokavain乙的根莖發現可能有助於毒性
效果。 [2]
卡瓦有報導引起肝臟損害，包括肝炎和肝功能衰竭[4]。
卡瓦一直伴隨著幾例肌張力障礙（異常的肌肉痙攣或不自主肌肉運動）。
卡瓦幾種藥物，包括用於帕金森氏症的藥物可能會相互作用。
長期和/或卡瓦大量使用可能會導致鱗屑，泛黃的皮膚。
卡瓦有報導引起嗜睡。避免駕駛和操作重型機械，同時服用卡瓦。
做手術或懷孕期間或哺乳期間不可用。[6]