The Benzo Killer - FIJ ($25M MC) ($75M ST Target), page-789

Being of Asian descent, your note got me thinking about how kava is viewed within the framework of Traditional Chinese Medicine ("TCM").

This website suggests kava can tonify Qi (http://www.chinesenutrition.org/view_image.asp?pid=688).

For those who aren't aware, the concept of Qi is complex but commonly defined as the "life force" or "energy flow" within and around you. Despite Western scepticism to this concept, the Chinese genuinely believe in it and have developed a traditional medical system around this concept (e.g. acupuncture). There are plenty of articles about this online to review to get a better understanding.

So what does tonification of the Qi mean? According to this website: "Tonification is a therapeutic treatment that nourishes and replenishes the qi, blood, yin and yang of the human body when they are deficient or weak. It is applicable to one or several of the organs, or one of the qi, blood, yin and yang, or the weakness of all of them as a whole. This is a method, unique to TCM, to sustain and restore the harmony of the body." (http://www.shen-nong.com/eng/lifestyles/tcmrole_bufa.html)

Further, according to another website: "In traditional Chinese medicine, kava kava is said to increase the Chi and blood flow without increasing the heart rate, and is a powerful heart medicine. Pain and tension are caused by blocked Chi and kava kava can remove these obstructions, resulting in the relief of pain and the relaxation of muscles." (https://www.webnat.com/articles/kavakava.asp)

I'm not a medical expert and have about as much understanding of TCM as the next person, but the research suggests to me that kava is already or could be a very well regarded plant/herb/supplement in China - especially if they come to the view that it can positively affect the Qi. If anyone who can read Chinese can find any comments on TCM forums I'd be interested to hear what the thinking is there.

Of course, I can't attest to the veracity of the websites above. So all my opinion and research, and please review the above websites in your own time to review the quote within context and undertake your own research. Good luck all.