Kava-kava, or simply kava, as it is also known, is the massive root stock or leaf of a highly variable sprawling shrub in the pepper family, found throughout the South Pacific islands from Hawaii to New Guinea. The plant has been cultivated for so many centuries that its exact origin is unclear. Like garlic, kava in its present form evolved during 3,000 years of cultivation. Polynesians have used a thick brew of the fresh or dried root as their main beverage for centuries. A similar beverage, prepared from ground roots, is often imbibed in social or ceremonial settings. The cultural role of kava in Pacific societies has been compared to that of wine in southern Europe. The rootstock and its preparations are used in Western herbal medicine for conditions of nervous anxiety, stress, and unrest

Piper methysticum-8808