Kava Kava, Our Favorite Pepper: Yagona

» Goodelyfe - Yagona

In response to message posted by DarleneCheek:
Thanks for the love and hugs Darlene.

Regardless of the lost cultural context, my reason for raising the two issues is germane to the use of the concentrated active ingredients of the narcotic locally known as yagona but marketed under the name of kavakava.

I have done a huge amount of research into this subject because early in the 90's, I began to import kava into Australia for cultural reasons. The reason for the ending of importation was the banning of the substance in 5 of the 6 states in Australia, as well as the 2 territories. The reasons for banning related to the abuse of the substance by non-cultural users.

When I tried to halt this legislative over reaction, I had to argue the case upon both cultural and therapeutic grounds. Culture was easy to establish. As to the latter, the Therapeutic Goods Agency [TGA] require volumes of research and independent tests to allow a substance to be imported. The cost of a TGA application is about $150k in addition to any studies that are done regarding the substance.

The one thing I found out in this process was that the active ingredients in the narcotic found their way into Roche's line of sedatives and hypnotics branded as Valium and Mogadon. Roche had sent its scientists to Fiji for the purposes of examining the effects of kava. There are many research papers available written during the period of 1952-55 when they set up their research facility in Suva. From then Roche and Bayer became the largest market for kava for many years.

That brings us back to the current topic.

As yet I am not sure which ingredients remain in the kava tablets currently marketed. I note that the producers of these products have little information available on the subject. Furthermore, there is no information regarding the long term usage of these substances. Bear in mind that the taking of the tablets is in a form far more concentrated in the active ingredients than the average kave drinker consumes. Bear in mind, the major item consumed by a kava drinker is water. Over the period of a night's drinking, a kava drinker will consume a similar quantity of active ingredients as the single pill taker. Consequently, it is my fear that the long term effects of the tablets need to be researched and quantified. Currently the claims are made more on wish rather than quantitative research - and I feel that this is a poor basis for establishing the credibility of a therapy. The reality is that companies producing the product might be in for a major round of compensation claims, especially among women who may develop snake skin through prolonged use. This liability also extends to therapists who recommend such a product. Hence my reason for addressing this issue.

-- posted by Goodelyfe