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Kava Quality Factors

What is Essence of Kava^®?

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One bottle of Essence of Kava^® contains 30 capsules, with 200 mg of 100% pure KAVIAR^® in each capsule. KAVIAR^® is a high potency micronized extract of the root of the Kava plant grown without the use of pesticides or herbicides in Vanuatu, Melanesia. The KAVIAR^® extraction process does not use any toxic substances. KAVIAR^® uniquely contains a very wide spectrum of the effective constituents in the Kava root as verified by HPLC analysis, in addition to being standardized to at least 30% kavalactones.

Essence of Kava^® is a 100% natural herbal dietary supplement WITHOUT preservatives, artificial colors and flavors, sugar, salt, yeast, corn, wheat, milk, or soy.

Standard ingredients used in the preparation of the capsules include rice powder, gelatin, magnesium stearate, and silica.

Why use Essence of Kava^®?

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Essence of Kava^® is a natural way to help one*...

• Stay calm while under stress*

• Maintain composure*

• Relax without attenuating mental acuity*

• Focus and concentrate while under pressure*

• Deal with irritability and mood swings*

• Become more at ease*

More details on the uses of Kava, as well as other topics, can be found on the Kava Info Page.

*Statements made, or products sold through this web site, have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These statements, or products, are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Potential Side Effects

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Dr. Hyla Cass, M.D. in her book¹ states that there is a good case that Kava can be classified as GRAS, the medical term for Generally Recognized As Safe.* The German Commission E, an expert advisory panel to the German equivalent of the US Food and Drug Administration, published a monograph (see Ref. 1) stating that a standardized Kava extract taken in recommended therapeutic doses has no known side effects or toxic consequences.*  This report also states that extended intake can cause a temporary yellow discoloration of the skin, hair and nails.  The chapter on Kava in The Natural Pharmacy², states that the only reported side-effects from kava use in recommended amounts are mild gastrointestinal disturbances in some people.* The Natural Pharmacy² goes on to state that continuous daily use of Kava extract in recommended doses over a period greater than three months may cause an allergic skin reaction in some people, which is reversible upon stopping use.*    Interactions with other drugs is also a point of concern, too.  From the Commission E report (see ref. 1) with regard to usage of kava, potentiation of effectiveness is possible for substances acting on the central nervous system, such as alcohol, barbituates, and psychopharmacological agents.

Background on the Kava Plant

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The natives of the South Pacific (Melanesia, Micronesia, & Polynesia) have understood the calming benefits of the kava root for almost 3,000 years.  The rest of the world is just beginning to appreciate how kava can be used to help manage the stresses of modern life.*

The Latin name for the Kava plant is Piper methysticum, and it is a domesticated member of the black pepper family.  It has been cultivated for generations on most of the islands in the Pacific Ocean.  According to Dr. Hasnain Walji³:

Kava requires a warm, moist climate and forms dense thickets, six feet high (or more, up to twenty feet in ideal conditions).  Its large green leaves are somewhat heart shaped, resembling also those of a pond lily, six to eight inches in length....Plants do have male and female flowers, although these are sterile, so plants are propagated vegetatively, either by dividing the roots, or, like sugar cane, by planting a section of the stalk.   First small sections of stalks are placed within a heavily watered trench (a mud hole) until they sprout.  Once sprouted they are transferred into the ground.   This means that the plant must be cultivated by human labor and is a human creation....

...In creating the preparation, the whole plant is dug up and the tops removed, leaving only the roots which may extend two or more feet in depth.  The root system is a knotted mass weighing as much as one hundred pounds, while individual roots may be as wide as your hand (5- 8 cms, or 2 - 4 inches)....

...A number of different varieties of kava have been identified, up to seventy-two in Vanuatu (formerly New Hebrides, northeast of Australia) alone. Differentiation is made by the green of the leaves, or the color of the stalks: including spotted, white, red and green. Differences have been substantiated by chemical analysis.

Preparation of the Kava Root Extract

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The process for making the KAVIAR^® used in Essence of Kava^® consists of two major steps:
1) selection and combination of Kava rootstalks, and 2) preparation of a full-spectrum standardized extract from these rootstalks.

• Select and Combine Kava Rootstalks.
  
  The first step is to select and combine a variety of high quality, unpeeled, mature Kava rootstocks with an average age of 7 years.  The rootstocks for Essence of Kava^® consist of a unique combination of the highest grade of Kava from Vanuatu, Melanesia: Borogu Tarivarusi, Goro-Goro-lalahk, melow-melow and palisi whole root and rhizome.  This special hand picked blend of Kava was chosen by native Vanuatu specialists who are well-versed in the cultivation and usage of Kava.

• Prepare Full-Spectrum Standardized Extract
  
  The second and final major step is to prepare a full-spectrum standardized extract from the chosen rootstocks.  This standardized extract contains the same broad range and ratios of the naturally occurring kavalactones as in fresh unprocessed Kava roots, but more concentrated.  This result is critical because the effectiveness of the Kava extract is directly related to the range, ratios and concentrations of the kavalactones (for more details, see the chapter on Kava in The Healing Power of Herbs, Second Edition, by Michael T. Murray, N.D., Prima, 1995).

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Extracts from Kava rootstalks are the most potent because these extracts yield the broadest range⁴ and highest concentrations of the individual⁴ critical kavalactones.  Kava by-products such as the peelings, leaves, and stems of the Kava plant do not contain a complete profile of the kavalactones⁴, and the ratios between the various kavalactones in the peelings, stems, and leaves are different from the whole root ratios.   Grades of Kava root traditionally selected by the natives of Vanuatu for effectiveness contain quantifiable amounts of complex kavalactones called kava-chalcones, whereas Kava peelings and leaves contain much lower levels of these compounds.

The details of the extraction procedure are very important in the potency of the final preparation (see discussions on this topic such as the potency of the whole root vs. the extract²).

Directions for Adult Use of Essence of Kava^®

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• As an herbal dietary supplement, take 1 to 3 capsules daily as needed, preferably on an empty stomach.

• Do not exceed recommended dose except under the advice and supervision of a physician.

• Do not use with substances that cause drowsiness, including alcohol.

• Not for use by pregnant or nursing women.

• Use caution when driving a motor vehicle or operating machinery.

• Consult a physician if taking prescription medication.

• Store in a cool and dry place.

• Keep out of the reach of children.

The Six Quality Factors for Kava

• Essence of Kava^® consists of KAVIAR^®, a high potency extract of whole kava root harvested from mature plants over 7 years old in Vanuatu, Melanesia.  Alden Botanica’s other kava products are 100% ground whole root from Vanuatu and Hawaii.

• The extract of the whole kava root in Essence of Kava^® is a spray-air dried, micronized powder that greatly facilitates bioabsorption.  This absorption can been experienced by tasting the contents of an Essence of Kava^® capsule.  Bioabsorption of the kavalactones derived from the ground whole root is facilitated by preparing a beverage.    A pleasant kava beverage can be prepared by mixing the following in a blender for one minute: 1) one ounce (28 grams) of ground whole kava root from either Vanuatu or Hawaii, and 2) one quart (or about 1 liter) 50:50 milk:water solution, or 50:50 soy milk:water solution, and then pouring the mixture through a filter (with a mesh comparable to that of a cheesecloth) into a bowl.  The addition of milk or soy milk to the solution introduces fats that assist in the extraction and emulsification of the water-insoluble kavalactones.  This extraction can be enhanced by the addition of other fats or oils to the solution, e.g., olive oil or coconut milk.

• Essence of Kava^® consists of an extract from kava plants grown in Vanuatu, which has a very long history of cultivating kava for medicinal applications - with over 245 distinct kava cultivars.  We also offer ground whole kava root from Vanuatu, and a Vanuatu cultivar grown in Hawaii.

• Alden Botanica uses kava plants over 7 years old from Vanuatu in the preparation of Essence of Kava^®. Our ground whole kava root products from Vanuatu and Hawaii are harvested from kava plants with minimum ages of 3 years and 1.5 years, respectively. The Hawaiian kava is younger because the formal cultivation of kava in Hawaii for medicinal applications was re-established in 1994.

• Alden Botanica’s HPLC analyses confirm that the kavain and dihydrokavain kavalactones dominate in our Essence of Kava^® product, as well as in our ground whole kava root products from Vanuatu and Hawaii.

• Essence of Kava^® is standardized to a total kavalactone weight percentage of 30%, and Alden Botanica’s ground kava root products from Vanuatu and Hawaii have total kavalactone weight percentages exceeding 6%. The kavain and dihydrokavain kavalactones dominate in all of our kava products.

Alden Botanica’s kava products meet the six quality criteria described above, and promote a relaxed sense of well-being and calm*.  These kava products can be classified as GRAS, the medical term for Generally Regarded as Safe, with little side effects*.  The following precautions apply to kava: do not exceed recommended dose except under the advice and supervision of a medical professional; do not use with other substances that cause drowsiness, including alcohol; not for use by pregnant or nursing women; use caution when driving a motor vehicle or operating machinery; store in a cool and dry place; and keep out of the reach of children.

Our kava library provides information on the history, uses, morphology, genetics, chemistry and clinical studies of kava.  Our kava bookstore offers four books that have excellent discussions on kava.  Take a look at our kava photo album for pictures of a variety of kava plants, and harvested kava roots.

What does the bottle of Essence of Kava^® look like?
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1.  Kava: Nature's Answer to Stress, Anxiety, and Insomnia; Hyla Cass, M.D. and Terrence McNally; Rocklin, CA;  Prima Publishing; 1998.

2. The Natural Pharmacy, Skye Lininger, D.C.,  Jonathan Wright, M.D., Steve Austin,N.D., Donald Brown, N.D., and Alan Gaby, N.D.; Rocklin, CA; Prima Publishing; 1998.

3.  Kava, Nature's Relaxant for Anxiety, Stress, and Pain; Hasnain Walji, Ph.D.; Prescott, AZ; Hohm Press; 1997.

4.  Kava-The Pacific Elixir: The Definitive Guide to its Ethnobotany, History, and Chemistry;  Vincent Lebot, Mark Merlin, and Lamont LindstromRochester, VT; Healing Arts Press; 1997.

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