Quick Kava MAOI Question

[(zonk)]

How much of either root or better yet 30% extract of kava is required to get adequit MAO-B inhibition similar to say 10mg selegiline? Cant seem to find any sources for this info. I would really like to know what's the bare minimum dosage to achieve any noticable degree of MAOI?

 

[yuppu]

Never had I ever taken combinations where there would be a great deal of potentiation or cardiovascular issues from kava. I do think there is a great deal of difference if it is reversible or not. ADD HELP US

 

[AlphaMethylPhenyl]

That's very hard to believe, a drug which increases GABA and dopamine/norepinephrine at the same time, methinks you are misinformed.

 

[(zonk)]

Why is that hard to believe, methinks you are gonna eat your words. PLUS kava has many chemicals present within it and not all of them do the same thing

 

[Drench]

I can confirm that Kava works on GABA receptors and as an MAOI amongst other things.

 

[seep]

I can confirm that Kava works on GABA receptors and as an MAOI amongst other things.

OK, confirm it.

That's very hard to believe, a drug which increases GABA and dopamine/norepinephrine at the same time, methinks you are misinformed.

It's technically several drugs (wiki mentions 15 psychoactive alkaloids, 6 of which are "noticeable" (which, Isn't perceptibility a necessary quality for psychoactivity?).).

 

[onmyway]

I'm interested in that confirmation too, as I've tried kava with disappointing results (extract and powdered, not fresh). Maaaybe I noticed a little GABAish feel+ Norepinepherine increase. Thats a big maybe though. One day I will do it right and prepare it the traditional way. If there is a kavalactone that acts like an MAOI, I'm betting that one would need to isolate it to get any effects. Otherwise you'd probably have to take a butt-load of kava, and the inebriation might become overwhelming.

oh seep, i was able to access that article: http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/showthread.php?t=485131

 

[Drench]

Here are a few quote/sources -

"The only substances up there that I know of that has any antidepressant ihibition properties (MAOI etc.) are yohimbe and kava kava. Yohimbe is in fact a mild MAOI, like you said. Kava Kava has been found to have reversible inhibition on MAO-B (making it a RIMA, which is a type of MAOI). So both those are MAOIs,"

He seems to know what he's talking about - http://www.entheogen.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10999

It's listed as a drug not to combine with MAOI's here - http://www.ayahuasca.com/science/what-foods-and-drugs-need-to-be-avoided/

It's listed on the Wikipedia page of MAOI's under - List of MAOIs > Selective MAO-B inhibitors > Desmethoxyyangonin (found in Kava) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monoamine_oxidase_inhibitor

"Research currently suggests that kavalactones potentiate GABA-A." and "Desmethoxyyangonin, one of the six major kavalactones, is a reversible MAO-B inhibitor (Ki 280 nM) and is able to increase dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens. This finding might correspond to the slightly euphoric action of kava." - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kava

 

[seep]

More at Ho-Chi's comment: it's often the case in nature where organisms'll produce a multi-mechanism cocktail to defend themselves. Look at the medley of effects that a cigarette snail's venom employs:

• α-conotoxin inhibits nicotinic acetylcholine receptors at nerves and muscles.[2]
• δ-conotoxin inhibits the inactivation of voltage-dependent sodium channels.[3]
• κ-conotoxin inhibits potassium channels.[4]
• μ-conotoxin inhibits voltage-dependent sodium channels in muscles.[5]
• ω-conotoxin inhibits N-type voltage-dependent calcium channels.[6] Because N-type voltage-dependent calcium channels are related to algesia (sensitivity to pain) in the nervous system, ω-conotoxin has an analgesic effect: the effect of ω-conotoxin M VII A is 100 to 1000 times that of morphine.[7] Therefore a synthetic version of ω-conotoxin M VII A has found application as an analgesic drug ziconotide (Prialt).[8]

The little guy is nice enough to anesthetize you before he kills you.

omw: thanks! I've been looking for that thing for a while.

 

[AlphaMethylPhenyl]

Yea I was probably wrong; I'm not afraid to admit that.

Still, information on this topic is vague at best. I want analysis on which chemical in kava does what, more than the explanation that I believe is bare bones.