Why do we know so little about kava's effect on brain ?

[Plantacious]

Kava has supposedly been in use for milleniums, yet when it comes to knowing its effects on the brain, it seems there are little to no answers.
This is in regards to what receptors and neurotransmitters it works on and how.
I know there is usually less research on natural products, but there are natural or botanical plants that seemingly have been in use for far less time,
that people have more answers for, on this subject.
People also seem to know a lot about kava's effect on the liver, but very little on the brain receptors. So why is that ?
I know the brain is much more complex, but again, we're finding similar "brain" answers to much newer things.

 

[The Kap'n]

Kava has supposedly been in use for milleniums, yet when it comes to knowing its effects on the brain, it seems there are little to no answers.
This is in regards to what receptors and neurotransmitters it works on and how.
I know there is usually less research on natural products, but there are natural or botanical plants that seemingly have been in use for far less time,
that people have more answers for, on this subject.
People also seem to know a lot about kava's effect on the liver, but very little on the brain receptors. So why is that ?
I know the brain is much more complex, but again, we're finding similar "brain" answers to much newer things.

If I'm not mistaken the current consensus is that kava acts on the voltage-gated sodium pathways in the brain causing the slowing of signal transmission. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12383029 Old. See Verticity's post below.

 

[verticity]

There has been some research on this, and the answer seems to be that the psychopharmacology is pretty complicated. There is evidence for effects on various neurotransmitters such as dopamine and norepinephrine systems, modulation of the GABA receptor complex, as well as cation channels mentioned by @Kapmcrunk. This paper has a good summary of the scientific literature as of 2011:
Sarris, Jerome, Emma LaPorte, and Isaac Schweitzer. "Kava: a comprehensive review of efficacy, safety, and psychopharmacology." Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 45.1 (2011): 27-35.

There was also a more recent study suggesting some effect on acetylcholine receptors not mentioned in the above 2011 review, as well as more detailed studies of the GABA effect recently.

 

[Krunkie McKrunkface]

yup, immensely complicated subject with little financial interest so far in finding out these answers.

 

[Plantacious]

Thanks I have not seen those reports before.

 

[HeadHodge]

I say, if it has a good beat and you can dance to it then......

 

[Intrepidus_dux]

Those ion channels are the same as my medicine for CFS/ME. Explains a lot. Since starting kava about a year ago, and beginning a CFS coaching program, my CFS has improved substantially. I go to the gym now! Rebuilding muscle loss.