Kavalactones Explained: The Active Compounds Behind Kava's Calm

Short answer: Kavalactones are the active compounds in kava responsible for its relaxing qualities. There are around 18 in total, but six main kavalactones do most of the work. Their total concentration and their ratio to one another, a kava's "chemotype", determine how a particular kava feels.

The Six That Matter

The major kavalactones are kavain, dihydrokavain, methysticin, dihydromethysticin, yangonin and desmethoxyyangonin. Kavain and dihydrokavain are usually the most abundant and are strongly associated with kava's relaxing, calming character.

Chemotype: Kava's Fingerprint

Because the ratio of these six varies between plants, growers describe kava by its chemotype, a code representing the order of the dominant kavalactones. Chemotype is a big reason two kavas can feel quite different: one may feel more heavy and settling, another lighter and more sociable. Noble kava varieties tend to have balanced, well-tolerated chemotypes, which is why they are the ones traditionally used for daily drinking.

Why Concentration Matters, and the Limit

Total kavalactone content is a rough marker of potency and quality. In Australia, kava-containing complementary medicines are limited to a maximum of 250 mg of kavalactones per day, so standardised products are formulated with that in mind. Always follow the dosage directions on the pack.

FAQ

How many kavalactones are there?
Around 18 have been identified, but six major kavalactones account for most of kava's effect.

What is a good kavalactone percentage?
Higher is not automatically better. Chemotype, the balance between kavalactones, matters as much as the total. Noble kava is prized for its balance.

What is a kava chemotype?
It is a code describing which kavalactones dominate and in what order, essentially the kava's chemical fingerprint.

You can read more in the FijiKava kava glossary.