Hi I am new to this. I got interested in trying Kava because I have chronic pain due to CRPS (complex regional pain syndrome) and I heard in my support group that some people were getting relief with Kava, so I wanted to try. However, I am on several other medications. I did a google search to check for drug interactions and came up with this site: https://www.rxlist.com/kava/supplements.htm#Interactions and on this site I see that 4 of my meds interact! (Amitriptyline, Topomax, Allegra, Xyzal) I don't even know how to check the other herbs and supplements I take... But it got me wondering about how this list was generated in the first place and if it is really legit. It seems that they have every possible medication listed because they are assuming kava is generally toxic to the liver and of course all meds have to be processed through the liver. Can someone help clarify this for me? I thought that this was not true these days if you bought from a good vendor. Are the specifics of how kava is processed in the liver known so we can get more specific drug interaction information?
Kava & Drug Interaction Drug interactions with Kava?
- Thread starter ccl84
- Start date
Good morning and welcome. We have a section here dedicated to possible interactions along with some myth debunking on a lot of these other sites.
http://kavaforums.com/forum/forums/anxiety-interactions.267/
Another good read and more detailed intro here;
http://kavaforums.com/forum/brdc-document/frequently-asked-questions.1/
Our list/exp. is mostly if not entirely based on user experience.
verticity
I'm interested in things
The short answer is that kava is not toxic to the liver, but there are a broad spectrum of liver enzymes involved in metabolizing it.
Some research here:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1894911/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S094471130470330X
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12386118
The vast majority of pharmaceutical meds are also metabolized by some overlapping subset of those enzymes, so interactions are theoretically possible with many of them. Since you are on quite a few meds, I would suggest you tell your doctor you are interested in trying kava to get some professional advice.
The one I would probably be most concerned about would be the Topomax. Topomax and kava actually have some of the same mechanisms of action (effects on voltage gated sodium and calcium channels, and on GABA receptors), so combining them could well have an additive or synergistic effect, and could also cause more side effects, etc., so I would be extremely wary about that particular combination...
I'd also be concerned about the amitriptyline because it can be quite dangerous in overdose, and is metabolized by some of the same enzymes, combining it with kava could theoretically cause elevated levels...
Some research here:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1894911/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S094471130470330X
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12386118
The vast majority of pharmaceutical meds are also metabolized by some overlapping subset of those enzymes, so interactions are theoretically possible with many of them. Since you are on quite a few meds, I would suggest you tell your doctor you are interested in trying kava to get some professional advice.
The one I would probably be most concerned about would be the Topomax. Topomax and kava actually have some of the same mechanisms of action (effects on voltage gated sodium and calcium channels, and on GABA receptors), so combining them could well have an additive or synergistic effect, and could also cause more side effects, etc., so I would be extremely wary about that particular combination...
I'd also be concerned about the amitriptyline because it can be quite dangerous in overdose, and is metabolized by some of the same enzymes, combining it with kava could theoretically cause elevated levels...
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Thanks for your feedback. I've been through this before with CBD oil (legal in my state - Colorado). It interacts with Topomax so I cannot use it, which is unfortunate because it greatly helps me. This is becoming such a problem I have considered at times giving up the Topomax which I use for prevention of migraine headaches. I will keep considering this issue and run by my doctor.
Intrepidus_dux
Kava O.G.
Maybe @BulamamatoNCIRVCKKPC could weigh in too?