Have been given a bag of dried Kava roots, Now what should i do with it.? and White inflorescence

Have been given a bag of dried Kava roots, Now what should i do with it.?

The roots are dried , they smell like dirt , im told they are definatly Kava root.
Not sure what i should do with them from here, probably compost i think , any ideas.


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Answer by Michael N
Kava kava ( it is also called kava) consists of the dried rhizomes and roots of Piper methysticum, a large pepper shrub of the family Piperaceae, which is native to western Polynesia and is found as far as Tahiti. The plant grows to about two to three meters high and is an erect dioecious bush, having male and female plants of which only the male plants flower in numerous, spike-like inflorescences, three to nine centimeters long. The leaves are very large and have a cordate base with 9 to 13 major ribs which are slightly downy on the under surface. The plant has a massive one to five pound rhizome with many roots which branches and is very juicy. The roots are grayish-black on the outside but whitish on the inside. Kava kava root has a pungent, numbing flavor. It has been ritually prepared for centuries by native islanders as a safe, mildly intoxicating beverage by soaking the kava rhizomes in water after grinding it with a mortor and pestle or by chewing it. The active ingredients of kava root are six different, closely-related mono- or di-unsaturated a-pyrones ( also called kava lactones), substituted by a styryl or phenethyl group including methysticin, dihydromethysticin, kawain, dihydrokawain, yangonin, and desmethoxy-yangonin. These compounds make up about 5 to 10% of a resin isolated from kava roots which have antispasmodic, anticonvulsive, analgesic, sedative, hypnotic properties. These fractions also induce sleep as well as loss of muscular tone. Pharmacological research has shown that all of the kava pyrones are potent, centrally acting skeletal muscle relaxants. In addition to inducing change in motor function and reflex irritability, these constituents possess antipyretic and local anaesthetic properties. For this reason kava root was traditional chewed for toothaches. Electroencephalogram (EEG) studies suggest that kava induces sleep by acting on the limbic system and it is well-established that it has a sedative and tranquilizing effect in humans. Because kava also relaxes the uterus it has been used for treating menstrual cramps. Kava is a popular sleep aid for treating insomnia, nervousness, and anxiety, as well as for calming stress and relaxing muscles. Kava promotes a feeling of well-being and was traditionally drank as part of a ritual to promote friendliness and socialization in Polynesian cultures. Large doses can cause intoxication. The effects of kava are potentiated by alcohol. Excessive use of kava can lead to kava abuse. Severe kava abuse can lead to a scaly skin disease known as kawaism, a form of dermatitis known as ichthyosis which causes large, white patches of scaly skin lesions and red, irritated eyes. Sensible dosage and moderate kava usage will not cause these symptoms or create any known health hazards. It is not advisable to take kava in conjunction with pharmaceutical sedatives such as barbiturates, anti-depressive medications, or pain-killers as it may potentiate their actions. It is also contraindicated during pregnancy and in nursing mothers.

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