Piper methysticum is an endemic plant from the South Pacific Islands. From the roots Kava is obtained, a recreational drink with relaxing effects. Modern research has confirmed anxiolytic effects which have been attributed to the fraction of kavalactones.

Throughout the South Pacific there are more than 120 local cultivars, some of them considered having very good effects and favoured for daily kava drinking, whereas some are avoided as a "no-drink" quality. Whereas "noble" kava appears to be safe, the contribution of material of dubious quality in the occurrence of cases of liver failure attributed to the use of kava extract preparations is still under discussion.

Our activities in kava include:

• Identification of high quality kava cultivars
• Phytochemical comparisons
• Toxicological examinations with identified kava qualities