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KAVAKAVA
Pipermethys,cum
Overview
Introduc2onOrigins
Chemistry,Prepara2on
andPsychoac2veEffects
Uses
Economics
TheKavaExperience
Introduc2on
• Name:Kava(Pipermethysicum)• Family:Piperaceae
Introduc2on
• GeographicDistribu2on:PacificIslands,primarilyinVanuatuandFiji
• Characteris*cs:– Alternate,heartshapedleavesandaspikeof2nyflowers;may
reachheightof3meters;perennial;rootsdevelopintoastarchymass
– AlthoughKavaisdioecious,itisincapableofsexualreproduc2on;propaga2onisvegeta2veandfullydependentonhumans
Introduc2on
OriginsandDomes2ca2on
• Pipermethys,cumhaspuzzledbotanistsformorethanacentury
– Fullydomes2cated;mostlikelyderivedfromthewildPiperwichmanii
– Placeofdomes2ca2onremainsambiguous,butmanybotanistsarguethatthedomes2ca2onprocessbeganinNorthernVanuatu,approximately3000—4000yearsago
Chemistry,Prepara2onandPsychoac2veEffects
• Ac2vecompounds:Aseriesoflipid‐likesubstancescalledkavalactonesareconcentratedintherootandrootstock
Chemistry,Prepara2onandPsychoac2veEffects
• Prepara2on:Mas2cate,poundorgrindfreshrootstock–yieldsagreenish,milkypo2on– Tradi2onallymas2catedbyvirgingirls,butnowgenerallypoundedintoasoYpulp
– Pulpismixedwithpure,coldwaterun2lthewaterhasamuddy,opaqueandalmostyellowishappearance
– runkbytheshell– Potencyistheresultofthevarietyofkava,theageoftheplantandthedilu2onofthebeverageduringprepara2on
Chemistry,Prepara2onandPsychoac2veEffects
• Psychoac2veEffects:Afriendlydrug– Causessociabilityandhappinessandpromotesastateoftranquility—encouragespeaceandasenseofcommunity
– Unlikealcohol,itdoesnotinvokeviolentoraggressivebehaviororcausehangovers,nordoesitdiminishmentalclarityandmemory
– Excessiveconsump2on:limbsbecome2red,drinkerlookspar2allyinebriated;debateaboutthementaleffectsofoverconsump2on
Uses
• AlthoughinOceaniakavaistradi2onallyusedasamoodenhancingdrug,italsohasalsobeenusedasmedicine,andcurrently100tonsofKavaareshippedtoEuropeformedicalresearch
Uses• Bladderdisorders• Arthri2s• Urinarytractinfec2ons• Anxietyandsleepdisorders
• Gonorrheaproblems• HelpsprovokeMenstrualabor2ons• Leprosy
• Vaginalprolapsus• Migraine• Generalweakness• Chills• Irrita2onoftherespiratorytractandasthma
• Tuberculosis
Economics:KavaasaCashCrop
• Since1980,whenVanuatugaineditsindependencefromEnglandandFrance,kavaproduc2onhassignificantlyincreased
• Advantages:Importanttolocalfarmers;resistanttohurricanedamage;26%ofkavaplantsreadyforcul2va2onatanygiven2me
• KavaisacashcropinFijiandTonga
TheKavaExperience