Assessment of Kavaiactones in Kava, Piper methysticum Forst. f Cultivars of Papua New Guinea.

Abstract

Assessment has been made of the kavalactones in eight cultivated varieties of kava, Piper methysticum, grown in three locations in Papua New Guinea. A total of forty-seven samples of dried root, stem and peeling from Lae , Madang and the Keravat Germplasm Collection of the PNG National Agricultural Research Institute representing eight cultivars were analyzed by HPLC methods to determine the kavalactones. Three chemotypes are indicated, two identified by Lebot et al (1999) and another that is similar to that in P. wichmannii. Kavain, dihydrokavain and dihydromethysticin were found to be the predominate components. The Total KL (%) however is lower than found in kava from other South Pacific countries.