Misc California Poppy, Kava Kava, Lavender, Lemon Balm

[Mycophile]

I was at my health food store looking for whatever might get me a mild high haha, and saw this for sale.

I didn't buy Lavender or Lemon Balm, but I did buy some Kava tincture and some California Poppy.

I've used Kava before in the past and all it did was make my tired, never got high, but I might not have been on Klonopin at that point.

My questions are about all 4 of these:

1) Does anyone know if any or all of these (one at a time) can be combined safely with Klonopin and Prozac?

2) What mental and physical effects, if any, can I expect from California Poppy, Kava Kava, Lavender and Lemon Balm?

3) What are the health risks of these substances?



Also:

4) Concerning Kava I have a 2 part question. I know it's consumed in mutliple ways: sometimes chewed, drank as a tea or tincture, pills, etc.

Again, it never did anything for me, but I have heard that the FDA has warned that in large doses or people who drink a lot (and I do drink a fair amount) that it MIGHT have risks of liver damage.

However, so do a lot of things, and that might or might not be over exaggerated.

So...1) Do people on here think Kava is safe for one's liver?

2) Has anyone on here ever REALLY gotten high off Kava and not just drowsy like me?


Thanks

 

[sekio]

I think the consensus is that inclusion of other parts of the kava plant (e.g. not the root) was the cause of liver toxicity in some kava extract users. Of course, extensive and heavy usage always has the possibility to cause harm by disrupting your matural equilibrium.

If you use benzodiazepines, these are essentially useless. Kava kava is a mild sedative that works in a similar manner to BZD's and alcohol at the GABA-A receptor. Some of the kavalactones have other ancillary activities (CB1 receptor, MAO-B) too. You need to ingest quite a bit of kava before it gets really intoxicating, and even then, if you take any amount of BZDs on a regular basis it won't feel like much.

Lavender has linalool, linalyl acetate & other terpenes, and has been proven in various studies to decrease stress and produce relaxation if you inhale the aroma. Probably works independent of GABA, so you're good to have a lavender scented stress pillow. I wouldn't eat the stuff, although linalool is actually the main flavour in Froot Loops...

Lemon balm - a water and ethanol extract showed mild antianxiety and sedative effects. Whole plant works too. The tea tastes quite nice as a summer drink, serve it chilled with a little lemon and sugar over ice. It's incredibly mild, kava is more powerful.

California poppy - Not really a true narcotic poppy, it's a little ornamental. Looks much nicer than it tastes. State flower of California. Extracts have mild anti-anxiety properties, weaker than BZDs, yadda yadda. Contains some wierd alkaloids. The nitty gritty of its pharmacology is still unknown. It acts as a diuretic (makes you pee).

These can all be combined with benzodiazepines to an extent. I wouldn't take california poppy or kava with benzos, mostly because it's a waste of time. At least lemon balm and lavender are good to smell and taste.