March 3, 2000 – A German study dating from 1993 but never yet published in English shows that kava kava (Piper methysticum) produces effects comparable to benzodiazepines, a class of drugs prescribed for anxiety, in people who are anxious but not psychotic.
The study of 172 people for 6 weeks compared the intake of 100 mg of a kava kava extract standardized to 70% kavalactones, three times a day, with that of 5 mg of oxazepam and 3 mg of bromazepam, also 3 times a day. Comparison of the three groups showed no statistically significant difference with regard to the decrease in anxiety and associated variables.
According to Dr. Donald J. Brown, nd, editor of Healhtnotes Review which publishes the English version of the study, this is the first research comparing the effects of kava kava with those of benzodiazepines. “These results show the potential of kava kava as a safe alternative to benzodiazepines, not creating addiction.”
HealthPassport.net
A Comparison of Kava Special Extract WS 1490 and Benzodiazepines in Patients with Anxiety. H. Woelk, O. Kapoula, S. Lehrl, K. Schröter, P. Weinholz; University Clinic of Giessen, Department for Medical Psychology and Psychopathometry of the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg. Healthnotes Review 1999; 6 (4); 265-270
