Editor's Note
The kava beverage, traditionally prepared as water-macerated roots and rhizomes of Piper methysticum L., has been celebrated for centuries by peoples of Oceania for its neuropharmacological benefits and has a long history of traditional cultural use. Recently, kava products have increased in popularity in the market, and preparations are being investigated for therapeutic activities related to reported anxiolytic effects, among others.
Monoamine oxidases (MAO) are well-studied enzymes that catalyze the oxidative deamination of a variety of amines including the neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. So, MAO are critical in regulating nerve transmission, and changes in MAO activity can have profound effects on behavior. Drugs inhibiting MAO activity have long been used in treating behavioral disorders, including depression. Researchers here report investigations on monoamine MAO activity in mice after 21 days of treatment with kava extract (10, 40, 100 and 400 mg/kg) by gavage. The study evaluated anxiolytic and locomotor behaviors using the plus maze test and open field test for behavioral analysis. Also, MAO activity in different mouse brain structures was evaluated and an the in vitro inhibitory profile of kava extract on MAO-B activity was characterized.
Investigators reported kava extract showed anxiolytic-like effects in mice, and that kava extract reduced MAO-B activity in cortex and in the region containing substantia nigra, and also that kava extract reversibly inhibited MAO-B activity in vitro. Researchers suggest kava extract as promising in studies where MAO-B is a target.
