Kava is a relaxant traditionally used by Pacific Islanders.  Harvested from Kava roots it's claimed to help memory, perception, mental acuity, promotes deep sleep, minor pain relief, makes you mellow, talkative and makes you more sociable (but without many of the side effects of alcohol except perhaps liver damage).

Kava is considered to be somewhat of a more riskier supplement to take as studies have shown a correlation with liver failure.  This just goes to show that you can't trust a herb because it is an herb.  A safer relaxant with many similar benefits would be valerian.  Now there is some back and forth on this issue...    Some have argued the liver toxity from kava comes from the plants and stems and if you leave these parts out of the supplement you are ok.  Others argue the common form of Kava taken by westerners (in which acetone is used to extract ) is different artificial animal than what native pacific islanders have taken over years (which is soaked in water).  Frequently supplements just use the active ingredient kava-lactones but this may be more difficult for the body to assimilate.

Be extra careful taking kava if you are pregnant, taking drugs that affect your nervous system (like antidepressants) or are consuming alcohol.

• Scotland study shows kava destroys Ovarian and Leukemia cancer cells
  
• Study of aboriginal community shows correlation between kava and liver damage
  
• Kava overview from Wikipedia
  

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