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When a 34-year-old bicyclist was found collapsed on a roadside and rushed to the University of Rochester Medical Center emergency room on the verge of kidney failure and muscle breakdown, doctors were surprised to discover that a trendy tea derived from the kava plant was the cause of his ills. The URMC team reported the case study, believed to be the first of its kind in the scientific literature, in the American Journal of Emergency Medicine. They described it as a cautionary tale, emphasizing the importance of taking a thorough medical history, including the use of any and all herbal...

Australia mulls kava imports ban By Phil Mercer BBC News, Sydney Australia is considering banning imports of kava to stop abuse in remote aboriginal communities. The soothing, non-alcoholic drink was introduced there more than 20 years ago to combat the rising alcohol abuse. But there is concern that kava is responsible for extreme weight loss and can cause heart and liver problems. Dried and powdered roots of the kava shrub are imported to Australia from Pacific island nations such as Fiji, Tonga and Vanuatu. 'Semi-comatose' Some aboriginal groups have claimed that the impact of kava on their communities is similar...

California after motorists "drunk" on herbal tea Mon Oct 25, 2:44 PM ET SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California prosecutors are cracking down on kava-drinking motorists who are driving under the intoxicating influence of the herbal tea. Following their first successful conviction in June, San Mateo County prosecutors have filed three other cases, after about a dozen motorists had been pulled over in recent years, said San Mateo Deputy District Attorney Chris Feasel on Monday. Kava, while not considered as a drug by federal health officials, is classified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (news - web sites) as a...