I've seen a lot of kavas and many HPLCs. I've never seen a result showing anything near 20% for a dry root. Most I've seen is around 12%, and that is very rare. If you know someone growing a quality kava like that, and they have lab results to back it up, put them in touch with me. I'd love to add their root to our lineup.
I do see one kava variety on that list at just over 20%, then a few at 14% and 15%. These are likely from fresh root. Drying root does diminish potency some so those percentages would make sense. Like I said, never seen a dry root much over 12%. I would like to get my hands on that 20.8% though. Even dried it would possibly be some very interesting stuff.
You may be right. I have seen numbers near or above 20% in the literature, but those may be for the fresh root, before drying. I would imagine some of the KLs would evaporate during the drying process.
I also have seen a lot of kavas and HPLC and I guess you must be looking in the wrong place, Hawaii is full of kava that will regularly reach over 12% total kavalactone content and even into the 20% range too, even in Vanuatu they have kava that has been tested at 20% as Verticity said, it is well documented with HPLC and HPTLC tests from kava experts. In the photo you will see the results from just one Hawaiian variety, there are a dozen more Hawaiian varieties.
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That is impressively...low!
Hi Kapm, it says right at the top of the picture that it was done with dry lateral roots. I have not seen any great difference in the kavalactone content with wet root vs dry root. Remember it takes 5 pounds of fresh root to make 1 pound of dry powder so even if we go past that and use 10 pounds we still get the same total kavalactone content, we just have more of the kava material that's all. I do believe that the fresh root contains certain things like enzymes and things like that, I think it is what makes the fresh root so good. That is what I based my method of making instant kava with, I wanted to keep the enzymes and other stuff that are destroyed with the heat of grinding or other processing methods.
This was a test done by Dr. Lebot using HPTLC. I am still waiting on the paperwork, Dr. Lebot is not in Vanuatu right now, he is in Europe till the end of the month. I should have the paper work not too long after that.
I think it would be of general interest to people on the forum, maybe you could post it here?
I must be missing something. I see one at 15%. Still looking for that 20%. Where are these samples from? Are they your kava?I also have seen a lot of kavas and HPLC and I guess you must be looking in the wrong place, Hawaii is full of kava that will regularly reach over 12% total kavalactone content and even into the 20% range too, even in Vanuatu they have kava that has been tested at 20% as Verticity said, it is well documented with HPLC and HPTLC tests from kava experts. In the photo you will see the results from just one Hawaiian variety, there are a dozen more Hawaiian varieties.
You can see in the picture that these tests were done by a reputable company that has been selling kava for a very long time.
There are a lot of studies that were done here in Hawaii by kava experts with the help farmers like me, in fact I provided some of the samples for this actual test that you see in the picture. These studies that were done to find out what would increase the kavalactone content and the studies show that it is in fact the way you grow, the variety and the soil, even the sun has an effect on the overall kavalactone content that is why we farmers here in Hawaii are able to grow high potency kava.
I hope you all enjoy the picture and now you all know that the total kavalactone content can get up to or even higher than 20%.
If anyone has any questions about these test results or would like to see more from other Hawaiian varieties then just let me know, aloha.
Chris
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