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 | Are there any interactions between Kava Kava and other therapies? |
|  Kava Kava (Piper methysticum) is a flowering shrub that belongs to the black pepper family. Also known as kava, it can increase the effects of alcohol and certain drugs, including barbiturates (such as phenobarbital and secobarbital), anticoagulants such as warfarin (Coumadin), and benzodiazepines (such as Xanax and Valium). It may also interact with antidepressants (such as Prozac, imipramine, or Zoloft), St. John’s Wort, and Valerian. It may also interact with monamine oxidase inhibitors such as phenelzine (Nardil) and tranylcypromine (Parnate).Sources:The Review of Natural Products. Facts & Comparisons, 2007.Micromedex® Healthcare Series. Thomson Micromedex, 2007.Miller, L.G. "Herbal Medicinals: Selected Clinical Considerations Focusing on Known or Potential Drug-Herb Interactions," Archives of Internal Medicine 158 (1998). Pittler MH. “Efficacy Of Kava Extract For Treating Anxiety: Systematic Review And Meta-analysis”, Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology 20 (2000).The Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. Pharmacists Letter Inc., 2000.This answer prepared 6/5/2000. This information updated 1/22/2007. |
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