Chemistry

Medicine Research

Kavalactones, mainly found in Piper methysticum, are a class of lactone compounds usually with an arylethylene-pyrone skeleton.Till now, fifty-one kavalactones have been isolated from the genera Piper, Alpinia, Amomum, Polygala, Goniothalamus, and Dumortiera.The bioactivities of six kavalactones, kawain, 7,8-dihydrokawain, methysticin, dihydromethysticin, yangonin, and desmethoxyyagonin, have been studied extensively.This review aims to give an overview of kavalactones in the plants and their various bioactivities.

Plant-Derived Kavalactones and Their Bioactivities