I've been reading a few articles expressing surprise that Fijian kavas have a very high methysticin content as it is (perhaps) not as "quick" or perhaps as even "pleasant" (in terms of it acting quickly, but not lasting for too long) as kavain or even dhk (which explains that everywhere kavain or kavain and dhk were the preferred kavalactones)
Lebot and Simeoni (2004) wrote:
" The question as to why the Fijian cultivars produce such levels of methysticin (6) remains without a satisfactory answer; but it is probable that both the environment and some changes in the traditional uses are responsible (...) In Fiji, Samoa and Tonga, consumers adopted the dry powder and diluted their beverage so that it corresponds to a beverage acceptable for European [missionaries/colonial authorities] standards, but is also adapted to their way of socialising. While doing so, they contributed to the erosion of their local traditional knowledge related to cultivars and to their distinct uses. In countries where kava is prepared from the dried plant material, the selection process cannot be efficient because varieties are not identified. This might explain the high levels of methysticin found nowadays in Fijian cultivars."
It is indeed a bit of a mystery why Fijian kava has so much methysticin. Anyway, do you actually notice that it offers qualitatively different effects to kavas with low methysticin?
There is also this research on methysticin: http://toxsci.oxfordjournals.org/content/124/2/388
Lebot and Simeoni (2004) wrote:
" The question as to why the Fijian cultivars produce such levels of methysticin (6) remains without a satisfactory answer; but it is probable that both the environment and some changes in the traditional uses are responsible (...) In Fiji, Samoa and Tonga, consumers adopted the dry powder and diluted their beverage so that it corresponds to a beverage acceptable for European [missionaries/colonial authorities] standards, but is also adapted to their way of socialising. While doing so, they contributed to the erosion of their local traditional knowledge related to cultivars and to their distinct uses. In countries where kava is prepared from the dried plant material, the selection process cannot be efficient because varieties are not identified. This might explain the high levels of methysticin found nowadays in Fijian cultivars."
It is indeed a bit of a mystery why Fijian kava has so much methysticin. Anyway, do you actually notice that it offers qualitatively different effects to kavas with low methysticin?
There is also this research on methysticin: http://toxsci.oxfordjournals.org/content/124/2/388
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