Root of the Kava Scare

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Misty L. Trepke

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Root of the Kava Scare

 

A team of scientists from the Universityof Hawaii may have solved

the mystery of why some Europeans who used products containing kava

extract suffered severe liver damage, prompting a number of

different nations to ban sales of the herbal supplement.

 

The culprit may be a compound found in the stem peelings and leaves

of the kava plant – known in Hawaii as `awa' – but which isn't found

in the roots.

 

It's the roots that are used to make the traditional kava drink

consumed by Pacific Islanders.

 

Until now, experts were unable to explain how a plant used in island

cultures for 2,000 years suddenly could become so toxic that it

caused fatal liver damage in some cases.

 

When demand and prices for kava soared, European pharmaceutical

companies eagerly bought the peelings, which included leaves and

stems. After cases of liver damage were reported, bans in Germany,

Canada, the United Kingdom and elsewhere devastated kava sales,

virtually destroying it as an export crop in Hawaii.

 

In march 2002, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an

advisory, but did not ban kava. Supplements containing kava are

promoted as remedies for sleeplessness and depression.

 

But to be safe, people should avoid drinking kava tea or ingesting

anything else made from the leaves or stems of the plant, according

to the study author.

 

The study has been accepted for publication in an upcoming issue of

the journal " Phytochemistry " .

 

JoAnn Guest

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DietaryTi-

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