Alkaloid From Kava Leaves, Stems Hepatotoxic

Alkaloid From Kava Leaves, Stems Hepatotoxic

HONOLULU--A new study reported that kava's reported hepatoxicity maybe caused by a compound found in the herbs stems and leaves. Pipermethystine(PM), a major alkaloid found in the stems and leaves of the kava plant, mayadversely affect human hepatoma cells, according to researchers at theUniversity of Hawaii at Manoa; the study will be published in a future issue of ToxicologicalSciences; (toxsci.oupjournals.org).

Researchers found 100 micro M of PM administered to human hepatoma cells(HepG2) caused a 90-percent loss in cell viability within 24 hours, whileexposure of 50 micro M caused cell death in approximately 65 percent of cells.In comparison, similar concentrations of kavalactones (7, 8-dihydromethysticin,DHM; and desmethoxyyangonin, DMY) did not affect cell viability up to eight daysof treatment, according to the study.

Mechanistic studies indicate that in contrast to kavalactones, PMsignificantly decreased cellular ATP levels, mitochondrial membrane potentialand induced apoptosis after 24 hours of treatment, wrote the researchers,who concluded PM is capable of causing cell death by possibly disruptingmitochondrial function, while kavalactones do not.

This has to be replicated in animal studies to see if it really works,said Mark Blumenthal, president of the American Botanical Council (ABC), andit doesnt really apply to the marketplace because [the study] is not dealingwith kava root.