Kava and sodium channels outside the brain

[Blinkyrocket]

I know one of you here is a pretty good chemist (verticity?) and I was wondering if kava affected sodium channels outside of the brain as well as inside the brain, namely sodium channels of the heart. If so, kava could be an anti-arrhythmic in certain circumstances.

 

[schatz]

I know one of you here is a pretty good chemist (verticity?) and I was wondering if kava affected sodium channels outside of the brain as well as inside the brain, namely sodium channels of the heart. If so, kava could be an anti-arrhythmic in certain circumstances.

From what I have been researching the answer is yes, I cannot recall the actual article or study that I read but yes. Kava has many benefits I have found recently, simply amazeing to read about.

 

[verticity]

I know one of you here is a pretty good chemist (verticity?) and I was wondering if kava affected sodium channels outside of the brain as well as inside the brain, namely sodium channels of the heart. If so, kava could be an anti-arrhythmic in certain circumstances.

I'm actually a physical chemist, not a biochemist or neural scientist, so I don't know that much about that kind of thing.

 

[Rick.Sanchez]

Theoretically, yes it could

 

[ondance-a-tron]

I'm far from a chemist but technically, yes, kava can interact with sodium channels outside the brain. The oral anesthetic effect is because of sodium channel blockade, similar to novocain. I'm still a wee baby when it comes to neuroscience but I don't see why it wouldn't have some effect on the heart's ion channels if it affects said ion channels elsewhere in the body, like the brain. Don't quote me on this.

 

[Blinkyrocket]

I'm far from a chemist but technically, yes, kava can interact with sodium channels outside the brain. The oral anesthetic effect is because of sodium channel blockade, similar to novocain. I'm still a wee baby when it comes to neuroscience but I don't see why it wouldn't have some effect on the heart's ion channels if it affects said ion channels elsewhere in the body, like the brain. Don't quote me on this.

That's exactly what I was thinking, I just haven't been able to find something definitive.

 

[schatz]

Here is some very interesting reading on the benefits of kava, https://books.google.com/books?id=-...=onepage&q=does kava deplete dopamine&f=false

Sorry it is so long.

 

[Rick.Sanchez]

@ondance-a-tron I won't quote you since you asked : )

Tissue specific isoforms and paralogs of sodium channels exist. Therefore, the kavalactones could have less efficacy at sodium channels found in cardiac tissue.