Kavalactone

The general structure of the kavalactones, without the R₁-R₂ -O-CH₂-O- bridge and with all possible C=C double bonds shown.

Kavalactones are a class of lactone compounds found in the kava shrub.

Compounds

See also: Flavokavain

At least 18 different kavalactones have been identified to date, with methysticin being the first identified.

Analogues, such as ethysticin, have also been isolated.

Name	Structure	R1	R2	R3	R4
Yangonin	1	-OCH3	-H	-H	-H
10-methoxyyangonin	1	-OCH3	-H	-OCH3	-H
11-methoxyyangonin	1	-OCH3	-OCH3	-H	-H
11-hydroxyyangonin	1	-OCH3	-OH	-H	-H
5,6-dehydrokavain	1	-H	-H	-H	-H
11-methoxy-12-hydroxydehydrokavain	1	-OH	-OCH3	-H	-H
7,8-dihydroyangonin	2	-OCH3	-H	-H	-H
Kavain	3	-H	-H	-H	-H
5-hydroxykavain	3	-H	-H	-H	-OH
5,6-dihydroyangonin	3	-OCH3	-H	-H	-H
7,8-dihydrokavain	4	-H	-H	-H	-H
5,6,7,8-tetrahydroyangonin	4	-OCH3	-H	-H	-H
5,6-dehydromethysticin	5	-O-CH2-O-		-H	-H
Methysticin	7	-O-CH2-O-		-H	-H
7,8-dihydromethysticin	8	-O-CH2-O-		-H	-H

Kavalactones: General structures

Structure 1	Structure 2	Structure 3	Structure 4
Structure 5	Structure 6	Structure 7	Structure 8

See also

• Kavain

External links

• "NIH Kava Chemistry & Toxicology, Executive Summary". http://www.erowid.org/plants/kava/kava_chemistry2.shtml.