An Explorative Qualitative Analysis of Participants' Experience of Using Kava Versus Placebo in an Rct (Clinical Report‪)‬

Introduction Piper methysticum (kava) has been used for millennia by Pacific Island cultures for recreational, cultural and medicinal purposes (Singh 1992). Many randomised controlled trials have been conducted using this phytotherapy for the treatment of generalised anxiety, with meta analyses revealing significant efficacy against placebo (Pittler 2003). However no previous qualitative research has reported on the experience of taking kava during a clinical trial.