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A world-first completed clinical study by an Australian team has found Kava, a medicinal South Pacific plant, significantly reduced the symptoms of people suffering anxiety. The study, led by the University of Melbourne and published in the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, revealed Kava could be an alternative treatment to pharmaceutical products for the hundreds of thousands of Australians who suffer from Generalised Anxiety Disorders (GAD) ? Lead researcher, Dr Jerome Sarris from Department of Psychiatry at the University of Melbourne, said GAD is a complex condition that significantly affected peoples day-today lives. Existing medications have a modest clinical effect and new effective options were needed for patients with anxiety. Based on previous work we have recognised that plant based medicines may be a viable treatment for patients with chronic anxiety. In this study weve been able to show that Kava offers a potential natural alternative for the treatment of chronic clinical anxiety. Unlike some other options it has less risk of dependency and less potential for side effects, he said. ? The study also found that peoples genetic differences (polymorphisms) of certain neurobiological mechanisms called GABA transporters, may modify their response to Kava. If this finding is replicated, it may pave the way for simple genetic tests to determine which people may be likely to have a beneficial anxiety-reducing effect from taking Kava, Dr Sarris said. ? During the eight-week study, 75 patients with clinically diagnosed Generalised Anxiety Disorder were given Kava or placebo, and anxiety levels were regularly assessed. Results showed a significant reduction in anxiety for the Kava group compared to the placebo group at the end of the study. ? In participants diagnosed with moderate to severe GAD, Kava had an even greater effect in reducing anxiety. Following the completion of the controlled phase, 26 per cent of the Kava group were classified as in?remissi