Kava (Herb/Suppl)

Brand and Other Names:ava pepper, awa, more...intoxicating pepper, kao, kawa, kew, piper methysticum, sakau, tonga, yagona

Suggested Dosing

Anxiety disorders

70% standardized extract: 100 mg PO TID

Kava-lactones: 60-120 mg/day PO

Root tea: 1 cup PO qD-TID; 2-4 g root/150 ml water

Benzodiazepine withdrawal, prevention

70% stdzd extract

  • Initial: 50 mg PO qD, THEN
  • Titrate up over 1 week while tapering benzodiazepine over 2 weeks
  • No more than 300 mg/day titrated over 1 week

Insomnia

Kava-lactones: 180-210 mg PO qHS

Next:

Suggested Uses

Anxiety disorders, benzodiazepine withdrawal, common cold/URIs, depression, epilepsy, headaches/migraines, insomnia, musculoskeletal pain, psychosis, stress

Efficacy

Likely effective for anxiety, insomnia (short-term)

Previous
Next:

Interactions

Interaction Checker

and Kava

No Results

     activity indicator 
    No Interactions Found
    Interactions Found

    Contraindicated

      Serious - Use Alternative

        Significant - Monitor Closely

          Minor

            All Interactions Sort By:
             activity indicator 

            Contraindicated (0)

              Serious - Use Alternative (0)

                Monitor Closely (26)

                • amobarbital

                  kava increases effects of amobarbital by pharmacodynamic synergism. Use Caution/Monitor. May enhance CNS depression.

                • azelastine

                  kava increases effects of azelastine by pharmacodynamic synergism. Use Caution/Monitor. May enhance CNS depression.

                • brompheniramine

                  kava increases effects of brompheniramine by pharmacodynamic synergism. Use Caution/Monitor. May enhance CNS depression.

                • butabarbital

                  kava increases effects of butabarbital by pharmacodynamic synergism. Use Caution/Monitor. May enhance CNS depression.

                • butalbital

                  kava increases effects of butalbital by pharmacodynamic synergism. Use Caution/Monitor. May enhance CNS depression.

                • carbinoxamine

                  kava increases effects of carbinoxamine by pharmacodynamic synergism. Use Caution/Monitor. May enhance CNS depression.

                • chloral hydrate

                  kava increases effects of chloral hydrate by pharmacodynamic synergism. Use Caution/Monitor. May enhance CNS depression.

                • chlorpheniramine

                  kava increases effects of chlorpheniramine by pharmacodynamic synergism. Use Caution/Monitor. May enhance CNS depression.

                • cinnarizine

                  kava increases effects of cinnarizine by pharmacodynamic synergism. Use Caution/Monitor. May enhance CNS depression.

                • clemastine

                  kava increases effects of clemastine by pharmacodynamic synergism. Use Caution/Monitor. May enhance CNS depression.

                • clonazepam

                  kava and clonazepam both increase sedation. Use Caution/Monitor.

                • cyclizine

                  kava increases effects of cyclizine by pharmacodynamic synergism. Use Caution/Monitor. May enhance CNS depression.

                • cyproheptadine

                  kava increases effects of cyproheptadine by pharmacodynamic synergism. Use Caution/Monitor. May enhance CNS depression.

                • dexchlorpheniramine

                  kava increases effects of dexchlorpheniramine by pharmacodynamic synergism. Use Caution/Monitor. May enhance CNS depression.

                • dexmedetomidine

                  kava increases effects of dexmedetomidine by pharmacodynamic synergism. Use Caution/Monitor. May enhance CNS depression.

                • dimenhydrinate

                  kava increases effects of dimenhydrinate by pharmacodynamic synergism. Use Caution/Monitor. May enhance CNS depression.

                • diphenhydramine

                  kava increases effects of diphenhydramine by pharmacodynamic synergism. Use Caution/Monitor. May enhance CNS depression.

                • doxylamine

                  kava increases effects of doxylamine by pharmacodynamic synergism. Use Caution/Monitor. May enhance CNS depression.

                • hydroxyzine

                  kava increases effects of hydroxyzine by pharmacodynamic synergism. Use Caution/Monitor. May enhance CNS depression.

                • pentobarbital

                  kava increases effects of pentobarbital by pharmacodynamic synergism. Use Caution/Monitor. May enhance CNS depression.

                • phenobarbital

                  kava increases effects of phenobarbital by pharmacodynamic synergism. Use Caution/Monitor. May enhance CNS depression.

                • primidone

                  kava increases effects of primidone by pharmacodynamic synergism. Use Caution/Monitor. May enhance CNS depression.

                • promethazine

                  kava increases effects of promethazine by pharmacodynamic synergism. Use Caution/Monitor. May enhance CNS depression.

                • secobarbital

                  kava increases effects of secobarbital by pharmacodynamic synergism. Use Caution/Monitor. May enhance CNS depression.

                • triclofos

                  kava increases effects of triclofos by pharmacodynamic synergism. Use Caution/Monitor. May enhance CNS depression.

                • triprolidine

                  kava increases effects of triprolidine by pharmacodynamic synergism. Use Caution/Monitor. May enhance CNS depression.

                Minor (1)

                • zidovudine

                  kava increases toxicity of zidovudine by pharmacodynamic synergism. Minor/Significance Unknown. Increased risk of hepatoxicity.

                Previous
                Next:

                Adverse Effects

                Frequency Not Defined

                Allergic skin reactions

                Dizziness

                Drowsiness

                Enlarged pupils

                Gastrointestinal upset

                Headache

                Hepatitis (acute)

                Hepatotoxicity

                Liver failure

                Motor reflex impairment

                Oculomotor equilibrium disturbances

                Parkinsonism

                Visual accommodation disturbances

                Body weight decreases (chronic use)

                Facial puffiness (chronic use)

                Hematuria (chronic use)

                Kava dermopathy (chronic use)

                Lymphocytopenia (chronic use)

                Movement disorders (chronic use)

                Protein levels decrease (chronic use)

                Pulmonary hypertension (chronic use)

                Rash (chronic use)

                Red blood cell volume increases (chronic use)

                Thrombocytopenia (chronic use)

                Previous
                Next:

                Warnings

                Contraindications

                Hepatitis, acute or hx

                Cautions

                Depression

                Risk of liver failure: banned in many countries (UK, Sweden, Netherlands etc)

                Previous
                Next:

                Pregnancy & Lactation

                Pregnancy Category: unsafe

                Lactation: unsafe

                Pregnancy Categories

                A: Generally acceptable. Controlled studies in pregnant women show no evidence of fetal risk.

                B: May be acceptable. Either animal studies show no risk but human studies not available or animal studies showed minor risks and human studies done and showed no risk.

                C: Use with caution if benefits outweigh risks. Animal studies show risk and human studies not available or neither animal nor human studies done.

                D: Use in LIFE-THREATENING emergencies when no safer drug available. Positive evidence of human fetal risk.

                X: Do not use in pregnancy. Risks involved outweigh potential benefits. Safer alternatives exist.

                NA: Information not available.

                Previous
                Next:

                Pharmacology

                Metabolism: N/A

                Excretion: N/A

                Mechanism of Action

                Kavalactones act on limbic system

                No evidence of binding to GABA or opioid receptors

                Previous
                Medscape prescription drug monographs are based on FDA-approved labeling information, unless otherwise noted, combined with additional data derived from primary medical literature.