Piper methysticum - A natural cure for anxiety

Piper methysticum

Piper methysticum -
A traditional medicinal plant native to the South Pacific Islands
Kava or kava-kava is a small shrub grown in Pacific islands,
mainly Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga, and Hawaii.
Islanders have used the kava plants
for centuries in social rituals, religious ceremonies
and for medicinal purposes.
For centuries, the root of kava (Piper methysticum)
has been used as a folk medicine
by South Pacific Islanders
to enhance relaxation and mood,
and to promote restful sleep.
Piper methysticum is nowadays widely spread used
as an anxiety-reliever and as a sedative.
More recently, research has confirmed the benefits,
safety and efficacy of Piper methysticum (Kava kava).

Caution:
According to the WHO report,
rare cases of liver toxicity (from 1990s - 2002)
have been reported.

The WHO report states as follows:
"Evidence from our review of case reports
suggests that kava lactones in any type of product
may rarely cause hepatic adverse reactions
because of kava-drug interactions,
excessive alcohol intake,
metabolic or immune mediated idiosyncrasy,
excessive dose or pre-existing liver disease (...)
It has also been claimed
that the majority of case reports
were probably not related to kava
and that the benefit-risk ratio for kava is positive
when compared with other available treatments
for anxiety disorders. (...)
From the cases where a causal relationship seemed probable,
an incidence rate of less than 0.02 cases per one million daily doses
is calculated, corresponding to
less than one case in 50 million days of application.
This incidence calculation
is far below the liver risk for diazepam
with one case on 472,000 days of application. (...)
The true incidence of adverse events related to kava
is not known, but it appears to be quite low. (...)
Based on empirical data (...) it can be stated that
severe liver damage caused by Kava-Kava
occurs only very rarely."
(World Health Organization, 2007)

The full WHO report on liver toxicity cases
is available at the following website:
http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/43630/1/9789241595261_eng.pdf

The benefits of Piper methysticum
Piper methysticum is widely spread used
as an anxiety-reliever and as a sedative.
Piper methysticum has healing effects
on the following complaints:

anxiety disorders & generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
anxiety accompanied by depression
stress & insomnia
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
epilepsy & convulsions

Piper methysticum - Pharmacological studies

anxiety disorders & generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12369257
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19430766
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9065962
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1930344
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10653213
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23635869
anxiety accompanied by depression
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19430766
stress & insomnia
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12404572
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11536390
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21827936
epilepsy & convulsions
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2090123213001112

Kava kava (Piper methysticum) - products

webber naturals - Kava kava (phytotherapeutic remedy)
http://www.webbernaturals.com/product/kava-kava/

Similasan - Kava kava (homeopathic remedy)
http://www.similasan.ch/de/heilmittel/produkteliste.html?preselect=/de/heilmittel/produkteliste/k/kava_kava#tab_k
https://www.xtrapharm.ch/similasan-kava-kava.html

Gaia herbs - Kava kava root (phytotherapeutic remedy)
http://www.gaiaherbs.com/products/detail/269/Kava-Kava-Root