Kava kava (Piper methysticum)

On my place in Montana, I try to grow many of the botanicals about which I write. We've got hawthern, gingko, elder, mullein, lavender, sage, thyme, echinacea, borage, yarrow and plenty of pine trees. But one plant I don't try to grow is Piper methysticum, the increasingly well-known kava kava.

Kava is a tropical shrub, native to the Pacific Island region, a climate distinctly different from the American Northern Rockies where I live. Kava is a member of the pepper family, Piperaceae, a plant group that contains over 1,000 species, including the familiar culinary spice, black pepper.

This paper, originated as a submission (now updated) to the U.K. Medicines Control Agency and Committee of Safety of Medicines (CSM) on January 11, 2002, in response to a report circulated by the...

For some, the name alone evokes relaxation. Kava kava, plant of the Pacific Islands, plant of far away -- from romantic destinations like Fiji, Tonga, and Vanuatu. Plant whose tropical origins summon images of palm trees, pretty beaches, gentle waves, and soft breezes; a perfect picture of repose. Kava, an herb which, for thousands of years, has helped people relax, venerate, and explore connections with their past, and solve current-day problems.

Background: Mood and anxiety disorders pose significant health burdens on the community. Kava and St. John's wort (SJW) are the most commonly used herbal medicines in the treatment of anxiety and...