The acute effects of kava and oxazepam on anxiety, mood, neurocognition; and genetic correlates: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study

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1702 Cognitive Sciences | Journal article

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Title: The acute effects of kava and oxazepam on anxiety, mood, neurocognition; and genetic correlates: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study
Author(s): Sarris, J.; Scholey, A.; Schweitzer, I.; Bousman, C.; Laporte, E.; Ng, C.; Murray, G.; Stough, C.
Abstract: Rationale: Kava (Piper methysticum) is a psychotropic plant medicine with history of cultural and medicinal use. We conducted a study comparing the acute neurocognitive, anxiolytic, and thymoleptic effects of a medicinal dose of kava to a benzodiazepine and explored for the first time specific genetic polymorphisms, which may affect the psychotropic activity of phytomedicines or benzodiazepines. Methods: Twenty-two moderately anxious adults aged between 18 and 65years were randomized to receive an acute dose of kava (180mg of kavalactones), oxazepam (30mg), and placebo 1week apart in a crossover design trial. Results: After exposure to cognitive tasks, a significant interaction was revealed between conditions on State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-State anxiety (p=0.046, partial {eng} 2=0.14). In the oxazepam condition, there was a significant reduction in anxiety (p=0.035), whereas there was no change in anxiety in the kava condition, and there was an increase in anxiety in the placebo condition. An increase in Bond-Lader 'calmness' (p=0.002) also occurred for the oxazepam condition. Kava was found to have no negative effect on cognition, whereas a reduction in alertness (p<0.001) occurred in the oxazepam condition. Genetic analyses provide tentative evidence that noradrenaline (SLC6A2) transporter polymorphisms may have an effect on response to kava. Conclusion: Acute 'medicinal level' doses of this particular kava cultivar in naive users do not provide anxiolytic activity, although the phytomedicine also appears to have no negative effects on cognition.
Publication type: Journal article
Research centre: Swinburne University of Technology. Faculty of Life and Social Sciences. Centre for Human Psychopharmacology
Research centre: Swinburne University of Technology
Research centre: Swinburne University of Technology. Faculty of Life and Social Sciences. Brain and Psychological Sciences Research Centre
Source: Human Psychopharmacology, Vol. 27, no. 3 (May 2012), pp. 262-269
Publication year: 2012
FOR Code(s): 1115 Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences; 1701 Psychology.; 1702 Cognitive Sciences
Keyword(s): Cognition; Kava; Oxazepam; Pharmacogenetics; Piper methysticum; Polymorphisms
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISSN: 0885-6222
Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/hup.2216
Research Projects: Kava in the treatment of chronic anxiety, National Health and Medical Research Council training fellowship number 628875
Peer reviewed