Desmethoxyyangonin Explained

Desmethoxyyangonin or 5,6-dehydrokavain is one of the six main kavalactones found in the Piper methysticum (kava) plant.

Pharmacology

Desmethoxyyangonin is a reversible inhibitor of monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B).^[1] Kava is able to increase dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens^[2] and desmethoxyyangonin likely contributes to this effect. This, along with several other catecholamines, may be responsible for the purported attention-promoting effects of kava.

Unlike the other major kavalactones, desmethoxyyangonin does not appear to act as a GABA_A receptor positive allosteric modulator.^[3]

Desmethoxyyangonin has marked activity on the induction of CYP3A23.^[4]

See also

• Kavain

Notes and References

1. Uebelhack. R. Franke L . Schewe HL . Inhibition of platelet MAO-B by kava pyrone-enriched extract from Piper methysticum Forster (kava-kava). Pharmacopsychiatry. September 1998. 31. 5. 187–192. 10.1055/s-2007-979325. 9832350. 25270815.
2. Baum. SS. Hill R . Rommelspacher H . Effect of kava extract and individual kavapyrones on neurotransmitter levels in the nucleus accumbens of rats. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry. October 1998. 22. 7. 1105–1120. 10.1016/S0278-5846(98)00062-1. 9829291. 24377397.
3. Influence of genuine kavapyrone enantiomers on the GABA-A binding site . 9776662 . 1998 . Boonen . G. . Häberlein . H. . Planta Medica . 64 . 6 . 504–506 . 10.1055/s-2006-957502 . 45511040 .
4. Desmethoxyyangonin and dihydromethysticin are two major pharmacological kavalactones with marked activity on the induction of CYP3A23. Drug Metabolism and Disposition. November 2004. Yuzhong. Ma. Karuna Sachdeva . Jirong Liu1 . Michael Ford . Dongfang Yang . Ikhlas Khan . Clinton Chichester . Bingfang Yan . 32. 11. 1317–1324. 15282211. 10.1124/dmd.104.000786. 43840844.