The Irish Medicines Board (IMB) today issued a statement advising people taking products containing Kava Kava to discontinue use, following reports of serious side affects in Germany and Switzerland.
Kava Kava, also known as Piper methysticum is a species of pepper grown in the South Pacific and renowned for its relaxing and calming effects.
However, the IMB has said 30 cases of liver damage have been reported in Germany and Switzerland. It has claimed that some of those affected required liver transplants and one person died because of their adverse reaction to the plant root.
Although to date there have been no reports of any such reactions in Ireland, the IMB has said it has decided to be "prudent" in an effort to protect public health, and has secured the voluntary withdrawal of Kava Kava from health stores and pharmacies nationwide.
'Nature's Way' health food store said took the product off its shelves before Christmas, but declined to comment further.
Dr Joan Gilvarry of the IMB, said the data available to the IMB was "confounding", and although theories had been proffered as to why Kava Kava might induce liver damage, nothing as yet had been proven conclusively.
She said the IMB’s action was in line with that of other EU member states, including the UK, Austria and France, and said the issue would be kept under review at both national and EU levels.