KAVA DERIVED THERAPEUTIC COMPOUNDS AND METHODS OF USE THEREOF

摘要

Certain embodiments of the invention provide a composition comprising at least two compounds selected from the group consisting of dihydromethysticin, methysticin, dihydrokavain, kavain, desmethoxyyangonin and 11-methoxyyangonin, wherein the composition is substantially free of flavokawain B. Certain embodiments of the invention also provide a method for treating or preventing cancer in a mammal (e.g., a human) in need of such treatment comprising, administering to the mammal a carrier and a compound selected from the group consisting of dihydromethysticin, methysticin, dihydrokavain, kavain, desmethoxyyangonin and 11-methoxyyangonin, wherein the compound is substantially free of other kava extract components.

主权项

1. A method, comprising:
a) combining an ethanolic kava extract and silica gel to provide a mixture; b) evaporating the mixture to provide a silica gel having kava residue adsorbed thereon; c) loading the silica gel having kava residue adsorbed thereon on a chromatography column to provide a kava-adsorbed silica gel column; d) eluting the kava-adsorbed silica gel column with a solvent system to provide a first kava extract fraction, a second kava extract fraction, and a third kava extract fraction, wherein the first kava extract fraction consists essentially of non-polar compounds, including flavokawains, the second kava extract fraction consists essentially of kavalactones and flavanones, and the third kava extract fraction consists essentially of polar compounds.