Methysticum

Kava Cure for Anxiety

Kava kava, formerly known as piper methysticum, has been used as a ceremonial drink in the South Pacific for hundreds of years, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. It may have effects that are similar to alcohol. Kava is...

Kava Effects

Piper methysticum, what is commonly referred to as kava kava, is a woody shrub that has an alcoholic effect when drank. Pacific Islanders grind the pulp of the root and then add water, making a thick drink from the plant. The active ingredient is...

Information on the Kava Kava Plant

The kava plant, sometimes called kava-kava, has a long history of use by limited segments of humanity. Believed to be popular in the South Pacific for hundreds of years, the kava plant was unknown to Europeans until the eighteenth century. Today...

Kava Kava Benefits

Kava kava, or Piper methysticum, a tall shrub in the pepper plant family, has long been valued in Pacific Island cultures for both its intoxicating effects and its medicinal value. Kava kava supplements come from the hairy roots of the shrub and...

Kava & Anxiety Disorder

It is normal to experience feelings of anxiety from time to time, especially when faced with an important event such as an exam, or something you find difficult such as public speaking. However, if you constantly feel worried and tense and it is...

Kava Kava for Stress

Kava kava is an herbal supplement that is popular for the treatment of anxiety, stress and insomnia. Both the root and rhizome of the kava plant are traditionally used for teas, but modern preparations include capsules, tablets and even topical...

How to Brew Kava Tea

The Piper methysticum plant, also known as kava, or yaqona, can be brewed to make a relaxing tea, commonly used as a natural sleep aid. Ground kava root can be purchased at health food stores and is the preferred form of kava to use when making...

Does Xanax Interact with Herbal Supplements?

According to the National Institutes of Health, Xanax is a benzodiazepine medication that is prescribed to treat anxiety and panic disorders. Xanax is very addictive and can have serious side effects, including a fatal overdose. Certain...

About Kava Kava

Kava kava is an evergreen shrub found throughout the South Pacific from Hawaii to New Guinea, according to Dr. Linda White in "The Herbal Drugstore." Kava is available as a health supplement in several forms, including tinctures, tablets and...

What Is Kava Root For?

If you have spent any time searching for natural remedies that might relieve your stress and anxiety, you may have come across "kava." Kava has been used for centuries as a ceremonial drink in the South Pacific. If you are curious about taking...

Information on Kava Kava

Kava kava is the name of the plant, root and beverage made from Piper methysticum, a member of the pepper family. Common names include intoxicating pepper, kawa and ava pepper. A beverage made from mascerated kava kava roots was traditionally used...

Kava Kava for Anxiety & Depression

The National Institute of Mental Health reports that about 18 percent of Americans suffer from anxiety and 6.8 percent suffer from major depressive disorder in any given year. Positive results obtained from small studies suggest that kava kava may...

Kava Paste for Anxiety

Kava is a dietary supplement that might benefit you if you suffer from mild to moderate anxiety. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC, kava can elevate your mood and well-being and put you in a relaxed state. It is...

Effects of Kava

Kava, also called "kava kava," or Piper methysticum, has been used for medicinal purposes and in ceremonies in the Pacific Islands for centuries. Kava is used for its relaxation-inducing and sedative-like properties to treat anxiety, insomnia and...

How to Cope With Anxiety Naturally

An estimated 40 million people over the age of 18 years old in the United States suffer from an anxiety disorder. Occasional anxiety in response to stressful events in life are normal. When anxiety consistently causes a person a great deal of...

Dosage Instructions for Kava Root Extract

Kava extract, a dietary supplement made from the roots of kava kava (Piper methysticum), may provide relief from anxiety problems. A study published in the November 2003 edition of "Phytomedicine" found that 73 percent of patients treated with...

How to Find an Herb for Moodiness

Moodiness, with its feelings of irritability and discontent, seems to strike just about everybody at one time or another. Moodiness can make it hard to enjoy the simple pleasures of life, and to keep negative events in proportion. Many people are...

What Are the Benefits of Kava?

Inhabitants of the South Pacific have long touted the benefits of the Piper methysticum plant, whose roots they use to make a beverage of ceremonial, social and medicinal value: kava. Though the benefits of kava are manifold, the Food and Drug...

What Herbal Remedies Should You Not Take While Taking Xanax?

Alprazolam, trade name Xanax, is prescribed for treatment of anxiety and panic disorders. The website Psych Central reports that Xanax was the number one prescribed psychiatric drug in the United States in 2009, with over 44 million prescriptions...

Therapeutic Uses of Kava

Kava (Piper methysticum) is a tall shrub that grows in the Pacific Islands. Its has been used for its sedative properties for hundreds of years. In 2002, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned that use of kava may cause liver damage, so...

Kava Kava Herbs

Botanically known as Piper methysticum forst, kava kava is a member of the Piperaceae family. It is native to the South Pacific Islands where the Polynesian people have used it for cultural ceremonies for many years, according to the University of...

Kava Side Effects

The herb kava, or Piper methysticum, comes from the South Pacific islands, where inhabitants have used the dried root of the plant for hundreds of years as a ceremonial, medicinal and social beverage. Modern-day Westerners primarily use kava...

Properties of Kava Kava

An herbal ground root, kava kava is also known botanically as Piper methysticum. It is native to the South Pacific Islands, and only the root of the plant is used to make medicine. Kava kava is not limited to medicinal use, but islanders also use...

Cautions & Warnings for Kava

Kava is a South Pacific medicinal plant that has been used successfully for the short-term relief of anxiety, insomnia and menopausal symptoms. Health experts warn, however, that kava carries risks of side effects and complications. Also known as...

Kava Kava Herbal Uses

Kava kava, also referred to simply as kava, is an herbal remedy made from dried roots of the shrub Piper methysticum. It can be used as a tea (2 to 4g of kava kava per cup for adults), or taken in capsule form (dosages vary). It is particularly...

Natural Alternatives for Seizures

According to The University of Maryland, seizures are a result of the brain sending out abnormal electrical signals. Recurrent seizures sometimes are known as epilepsy, and usually require treatment. However, simply having a seizure a few times...

Nature Sunshine Herbs

Starting as a small family business in the 1970s, Nature Sunshine is now a thriving direct market health supplement business. With distributors in more than 30 countries, it has a full line of herbs and minerals marketed to the medicinal plant...

Kava Supplements

Kava, Piper methysticum, is an herb native to the South Pacific islands. The tuber-like root is pounded into a mash and extracted with water to make tea. Vitamins-Supplements.org states that chemicals called kavalactones account for most of kava's...

Natural Supplements for Chronic Anxiety

Anxiety is a mental state characterized by racing thoughts, excessive worry and fear. When it occurs on a regular basis, anxiety may be considered a chronic condition. Many treatments address chronic anxiety, including cognitive-behavioral...