List of herbs used as aphrodisiacs,
List of herbs for menstrual irregularities and PMS,
List of herbs to cure arthritis,
List of herbs for behavioral control.
Kava is native to the islands of the South Pacific and is a member of the pepper family. List of Herbs and Spices
Common Names--kava kava, awa, kava pepper
Latin Names--Piper methysticum
- What Kava Is Used For
- Kava has been used as an herbal remedy and as a
ceremonial beverage in the South Pacific for centuries.
- Kava has also been used to help people fall asleep and
fight fatigue, as well as to treat asthma and urinary tract infections.
- Topically (on the skin), kava has been used as a numbing
agent.
- Today, kava is used primarily for anxiety, insomnia, and
menopausal symptoms.
- Try our Herbal Remedy and Herbal Medicine:
- How Kava Is Used
The root and rhizome (underground stem) of kava are used to prepare beverages,
extracts, capsules, tablets, and topical solutions.
- What the Science Says about Kava
- Although scientific studies provide some evidence that
kava may be beneficial for the management of anxiety, the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) has issued a warning that using kava supplements has
been linked to a risk of severe liver damage.
- Kava is not a proven therapy for other uses.
- NCCAM-funded studies on kava were suspended after the FDA
issued its warning.
- Side Effects and Cautions of Kava
- Kava has been reported to cause liver damage, including
hepatitis and liver failure (which can cause death).
- Kava has been associated with several cases of dystonia
(abnormal muscle spasm or involuntary muscle movements).
- Kava may interact with several drugs, including drugs
used for Parkinson's disease.
- Long-term and/or heavy use of kava may result in scaly,
yellowed skin.
- Avoid driving and operating heavy machinery while taking
kava because the herb has been reported to cause drowsiness.
- Tell your health care providers about any herb or dietary
supplement you are using, including kava. This helps to ensure safe and
coordinated care.
What's an Herb? An herb is a plant or part of a plant used for its flavor, scent, or potential
therapeutic properties. Includes flowers, leaves, bark, fruit, seeds, stems, and
roots. Herbal medicine products are dietary supplements that people take
to improve their health. Many herbs have been used for a long time for claimed
health benefits. They are sold as tablets, capsules, powders, teas, extracts and
fresh or dried plants. However, some can cause health problems, some are not
effective and some may interact with other drugs you are taking.
to improve their health. Many herbs have been used for a long time for claimed
health benefits. They are sold as tablets, capsules, powders, teas, extracts and
fresh or dried plants. However, some can cause health problems, some are not
effective and some may interact with other drugs you are taking.
Dietary supplement is a
product that contains vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino
acids, enzymes, and/or other ingredients intended to supplement the diet. The
U.S. Food and Drug Administration has special labeling requirements for
dietary supplements and treats them as foods, not drugs.
To use an herbal product as safely as
possible:
-
Consult your doctor first
-
Do not take a bigger dose than the label
recommends
-
Take it under the guidance of a trained
medical professional
-
Be especially cautious if you are pregnant or
nursing
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Why should I use herbal products?
The decision to use herbs to improve your
health is, as with all health decisions, a personal one. There are, however,
many good reasons to consider herbal products to complement your own
health care methods. One of the best reason, however, may be the fact that
herbs and herbal products, continue to provide real health benefits while
maintaining a remarkable safety profile. Readily available natural
substances were the first medicines used by humans. Primitive and ancient
civilizations as well as contemporary cultures throughout the world have
always relied on herbs to provide the benefits that have been observed with
their use. In fact, the World Health Organization has estimated that 80
percent of the world's population continues to use traditional therapies, a
major part of which are derived from plants, as their primary health care
tools. In our own time and culture, most herbs are available in the form of
"herbal supplements." These products are found in the form of teas, tablets,
capsules, liquid extracts, and others. We now have ready access to products
that bring the herbal traditions from all over the world in a variety of
convenient forms. In addition, scientific inquiries continue to develop our
knowledge of the benefits of plants, and often validate the observations
made over the past centuries.
Are herbs safe?
Plants that enjoy broad culinary and
therapeutic usage are generally safe. We can flavor our food with any number
of herbs to make a meal more flavorful. We can appreciate a delicious cup of
peppermint leaf or ginger root tea, or benefit from the soothing properties
of marshmallow root or the bark of slippery elm. We can take an herbal
supplement containing dandelion root or saw palmetto berries, or any number
of the other herbs. Although allergies and reactions have been recorded for
a few herbs that are widely used in foods and supplements, such individual
concerns are also seen with many foods, and do not diminish the safety
profile of the many herbs that are generally recognized as safe. On the
other hand, and as everyone knows, there are any number of plants that are
highly toxic, even deadly.
kava as herbal remedy to treat asthma and urinary tract infections.
kava as herbal remedy to treat asthma and urinary tract infections.
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