Kava
Kava is a plant of the pepper family. It comes from Polynesia and other lands in the Pacific Islands.
| Kava | |
|---|---|
| |
| Piper methysticum leaves | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Unrecognized taxon (fix): | Plantae |
| Order: | Piperales |
| Family: | Piperaceae |
| Genus: | Piper |
| Species: | P. methysticum
|
| Binomial name | |
| Piper methysticum | |
The roots of the plant are used to make a drink with sedative and anesthetic properties. Kava is used in many cultures in the Pacific Ocean, besides its native Polynesia. These include Hawaii, Vanuatu, Melanesia and some parts of Micronesia.
Kava can relieve pain and make people calm. It is usually taken as a drug to relax without losing mental clarity in thinking and remembering. Evidence collected in studies show Kava is likely more effective than a placebo at helping calm some mild anxiety.[1]
Kava Media
Kawakawa (Piper excelsum) plant may have been named by early Polynesian voyagers to New Zealand due to its similarities to kava.
The general structure of the kavalactones, without the R1-R2 -O-CH2-O- bridge and with all possible C=C double bonds shown.
A sign showing a "Kava licence area" at Yirrkala, in the Northern Territory of Australia
A traditional Fijian yaqona bundle of roots
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References
- ↑ Pittler MH, Ernst E (2003). Pittler, Max H (ed.). "Kava extract for treating anxiety". Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (Online) (1): CD003383. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD003383. PMID 12535473.
Other websites
Media related to Kava at Wikimedia Commons
Data related to Kava at Wikispecies