Kava Kava

December 20, 2001 by Jurgen

KAVA KAVA – REPORTS OF HEPATOXICITY

Kava Kava may be the cause of liver toxicity in some individuals. There have about 30 case reports received by the German authorities to date, who have issued an international alert. In most, but not all, of these case reports, the patient has been taking other medication concomitantly. It is not known at this stage what exactly is causing these incidences – it could be any of the following:

1. The conventional medicines.

2. Kava kava at very high doses.

3. Combination of Kava and conventional medicines.

The Health Food Manufacturers Association (HFMA) in the UK have requested their members to suspend supply of Kava Kava. At this moment of time there has been no request from the Irish Medicines Board (IMB) to withdraw the product. ‘To date, the IMB has received no reports of liver toxicity occurring in Ireland and understand there have been no reports in the UK.’ The IMB also states that they are ‘keeping the situation under review at both national and European level.’

To be on the safe side I would like to advise all my customers, who take Kava Kava (piper methysticum), not to take it with alcohol or other drugs for the nervous system. Long term use is not advisable (take Kava Kava for one month and give it a rest for a month). Do not exceed the recommended dosage.

CALL to SAFEGUARD TRADITIONAL MEDICINES

December 13, 2001 by Jurgen

CALL to SAFEGUARD TRADITIONAL MEDICINES

By Jim Morahan

HERBAL remedy suppliers, and health shops selling their produce, fear the business will collapse unless the Government brings in regulations to safeguard the industry.

“Tens of thousands of Irish people rely on safe, traditional herbal remedies for their primary health care,” said Aideen Hurley of the Irish Association of Health Stores (IAHS), which represents 80 shopowners.

“These people are spending their own money and making their own choices of the kind of health care they want — and very likely are saving the Exchequer money,” she said.

A major flaw in Irish Medicines Board (IMB) draft regulations, designed to regulate traditional medicines, is the failure to define what actually constitutes a medicine, say the two organisations representing suppliers and proprietors of health food stores.

Both groups question the suitability of the legal definition of a pharmaceutical medicine being applied to traditional medicines.

Jonathon Griffith of the Irish Health Trade Association, which represents manufacturers and suppliers, said they had been seeking regulations for the past 15 years. While they had serious reservations about the format, they were prepared to cooperate in the search for appropriate regulations.

“Our concern is that the regulations don’t formally recognise traditional medicines.

“Without formal recognition, traditional medicines are in serious danger of being overwhelmed by the conventional medical system into which they are being drawn,” said Mr Griffith.

Ms Hurley urged consumers to make their views known to the IMB before December 27, the closing date for public comment on its draft proposals on traditional remedies.

Traditional medicines were a in category of their own and the attempt to treat them according to the European model of pharmaceutical medicine was “seriously flawed”, the groups said.

The IMB said a system that would regulate traditional and herbal products would benefit the consumer.