The Geography of Phytochemical Races

6.3 Southern Pacifi c 259
Differences in alkaloid composition between samples of Z. dipetalum from different
islands have also been reported (Arslanian et al., 1990). These workers found that a
tree from Oahu (anethole/estragole chemotype) lacked thalicitrine [546] (see Fig. 6.5),
whereas a tree from Kauai and one from Hawaii (both 2-undecanone/2-tridecanone
chemotype) possessed the compound.
6.3 Southern Pacifi c
6.3.1 Piper methysticum (Piperaceae)
This next example involves the well-known plant “kawa.” A psychoactive beverage
made from the roots of this plant is used widely in the islands of the southwestern
Pacifi c Ocean either for ritualistic or routine consumption. Kava is the common
name for Piper methysticum Forst. f. from which several compounds responsible
for the pharmacological activity have been isolated and identifi ed. Representative
structures of the family of styrylpyrones, commonly called “kavalactones,” are
given in Fig. 6.6. The compounds are based upon a carbon skeleton consisting
of a styryl function (C 6 C 2 ) attached to a six-membered lactone ring. The fundamental
compound, kawain, is shown as structure [547]. Structural variants include
Fig. 6.6 Compounds
547–553, kavalactones from
Piper methysticum