Piper Methysticum Root Extract

What Is It?

Piper Methysticum Leaf/Root/Stem Extract and Piper Methysticum Root Extract are made from the plant Piper methysticum, also called Kava. In cosmetics and personal care products, the Piper Methysticum Extracts have reported uses in hair dyes, aftershave lotion, and hair care products.

Why Is It Used?

Piper Methysticum Leaf/Root/Stem Extract and Piper Methysticum Root Extract are used as skin conditioning agents – miscellaneous in cosmetics and personal care products.

Scientific Facts

Piper methysticum, also known as Kava, is an ancient crop of the western Pacific. The word Kava is used to refer to both the plant and a beverage produced from the root of this plant.

Safety Information

The safety of Piper Methysticum Leaf/Root/Stem Extract and Piper Methysticum Root Extract has been assessed by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel. The CIR Expert Panel reviewed the scientific data and concluded that the data were insufficient to support the safety of these ingredients as used in cosmetics and personal care products.

CIR Safety Review: The CIR Expert Panel reviewed data showing that Piper Methysticum Leaf/Root/Stem Extract and Piper Methysticum Root Extract consist primarily of kavalactones and kavapyrones. The principal compounds have been identified as yangonin, methysticin and kavain. Extracts of Kava taken orally produce muscle relaxation and analgesic effects at low doses.

A National Toxicology Program (NTP) carcinogenicity study is underway. Clinical studies found that individuals consuming Kava beverage on a chronic basis had flakey, dry, yellow skin. Serious liver effects have been reported in persons taking Kava dietary supplements. The CIR Expert Panel noted concerns regarding liver toxicity when Piper Methysticum Extract is taken as a dietary supplement. Because of the concern about potential liver effects and the lack of data following dermal exposure, the CIR Expert Panel concluded that the data were insufficient to support the safety of Piper Methysticum Leaf/Root/Stem Extract and Piper Methysticum Root Extract as they are used in cosmetic and personal care products. The data requested included concentration of use information, dermal penetration of the major components, genotoxicity data and dermal irritation and sensitization data.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an advisory stating that the consumption of Kava-containing dietary supplements may be associated with severe liver injury. 
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/addskava.html 

Although some European countries, such as the United Kingdom prohibit the importation of Kava, Kava and its extracts are not specifically listed in the Cosmetics Directive of the European Union.

Link to the EU Cosmetic Regulation:
http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/consumers/product_labelling_and_p…

Piper Methysticum Extracts are not permitted for use in cosmetics and personal care products in Canada.

Link to the Health Canada website: 
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/person/cosmet/info-ind-prof/_hot-list-cri…

More information about the safety of botanical ingredients.

More Scientific Information

Piper methysticum roots are mechanically ground into a powder to make Kava beverage. The powdered product is mixed with water and the infusion is strained before drinking. Fresh kava root contains on average 80% water.

Dried root contains approximately 43% starch, 20% fibers, 15% kavalactones, 12% water, 3.2% sugars, 3.6% protein, and 3.2% minerals. Kavalactone content is greatest in the roots and decreases higher up the plant. Piper Methysticum Leaf/Stem/Root Extract and Piper Methysticum Root Extract belong to a large and diverse class of materials that are not defined chemically.

The majority of the materials in this class are mixtures derived from plants (herbs, roots, flowers, fruits, or seeds). In naming plants, botanists use a Latin name made up of the genus and species of the plant. For example, under this system the plant, Kava is known as Piper methysticum G. Forst., where “G. Forst.” stands for the name of the person who first described the type of plant specimen. Plants are also known by a common name that has been handed down through generations. These common names may vary from country to country. Therefore, Latin names, which are more likely to be recognized in many countries, are frequently used on the label of a product to identify an ingredient made from plants.

Resources

Cross Reference for Common Names and Latin names for Botanical ingredient: http://www.personalcarecouncil.org/botanicals-cross-reference-latin-bino…

Find out more about the history of using plants to obtain beneficial materials:

Search the Code of Federal Regulations http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm

EU Cosmetics Inventory http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cosmetics/cosing/