Kava treatment in patients with anxiety

Phytother Res. 2004 Apr;18(4):297-300. doi: 10.1002/ptr.1422.

Abstract

In several clinical trials, mainly conducted with a dose of 300 mg kava extract per day, kava has been employed successfully for the treatment of anxiety disorders. The goal of the placebo-controlled double-blind outpatient trial was to obtain more information on the dosage range and efficacy of a kava special extract WS 1490 in patients with non-psychotic anxiety. 50 patients were treated with a daily dose of 3 x 50 mg WS 1490 during a 4-week treatment period followed by a 2-week safety observation phase. In the active treatment group, the total score of the Hamilton anxiety scale (primary efficacy variable), showed a therapeutically relevant reduction in anxiety versus placebo (more than 4 points). In the secondary variables studied, HAMA 'somatic and psychic anxiety' subscales, the Erlangen anxiety, tension and aggression scale (EAAS), the brief personality structure scale (KEPS), the adjective checklist (EWL 60-S) and clinical global impressions scale (CGI), a trend in favour of the active treatment was detectable. WS 1490 was well tolerated and showed a safety profile with no drug-related adverse events or post-study withdrawal symptoms. It can be concluded that the applied 150 mg WS 1490 per day is an effective and safe treatment of non-psychotic anxiety syndromes in the described population.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Anti-Anxiety Agents / administration & dosage
  • Anti-Anxiety Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Anxiety / drug therapy*
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Drug Administration Schedule
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Kava*
  • Male
  • Manifest Anxiety Scale
  • Middle Aged
  • Phytotherapy*
  • Plant Extracts / administration & dosage
  • Plant Extracts / therapeutic use*
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Anti-Anxiety Agents
  • Plant Extracts
  • WS 1490