Edible kava concentrate

[kl.stinkweed]

I find this to be a more readily bioavailable for of kava concentrate, than simply creating a concentrate with only kava and solvent, as I have learned with other extractions and medicines, by a process known as liposomal encapsulation, these articles explain what I am talking about.
http://www.livonlabs.com/cgi-bin/htmlos.cgi/5780.1.1970240596343739309/liposome-encapsulated/liposome-encapsulation.htmlhttp://www.livonlabs.com/cgi-bin/start.cgi/liposome-encapsulated/bioavailability.html
First, using the solvent of your choice, make a concentrated kava paste, I like to use ethanol alcohol and lecithin, and then simply set the solution on a hotplate set at around 100-120, with a fan blowing over it, but have in the past used supercritical fluids, and have also simply prepared a strong brew of kava, and tossed it into a dehydrator set as low as possible with great results.
Strained solution

Almost Evaporated

There we go :]

Scrape it up (I use a razor, or a putty knife) With the flash the color looks very off, but it should be a nice yellow (more so if you strain more thoroughly than I have)

Add a little lecithin to cover your paste

Add a few drops of olive and vegetable oil, and then cover with about an equal amount of coconut oil as you have paste

Blend your mixture by stirring vigorously, at about 100 degrees give or take (I've found you can indeed pass 140 degrees without noticeable decrease in potency, provided you avoid passing 160, but lower is better)

(This step is optional, but I like to freeze the mixture for 4-8 hours before reheating and mixing again, I find it results in a smoother, more homogeneous final product) And this is about what your final product should look like, I didn't strain well, because this is a very small batch made for the weekend, so it looks a little less than perfectly smooth

Thanks for reading :] I hope you find this to your benefit.

 

[Ed!]

Very interesting. I love the pics threads. I may have to try this out.

 

[kl.stinkweed]

Thanks Ed, I hope you do try it! I should add that other solvents such as 91% and above isopropyl alcohol and PURE acetone are also very suitable solvents, so long as you do not rush the evap process, and are much cheaper than ethanol.

 

[krunkedout]

Very neat stuff here. The ony thing I'd be worried about would be liver issues and what not. But a little here and there can't hurt

 

[mos3z]

I thought the new studies Adil was talking about showed solvent based extracts to be dangerous?

 

[kl.stinkweed]

Krunkedout and Mos3z, could you point me in the direction of that study by chance? I was under the impression that there are already extracts being sold? What about them is safer than another method of extraction?  Every study I have ever read suggests that inappropriate parts of the plant, or very low quality kava were what caused kava bans and liver toxicity due to flavokawain B?  If the study suggests that solvent based extractions are indeed unsafe, why would a co2 extraction versus something like a food grade n-butane or reagent grade acetone not contain hepatotoxic constituents?
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21377431 " Liver injury occurred after the use of traditional aqueous kava extracts in the South Pacific region and of acetonic and ethanolic extracts in Western countries in rare cases, suggesting that the solvents used play no major causative role. "

 

[krunkedout]

Krunkedout and Mos3z, could you point me in the direction of that study by chance? I was under the impression that there are already extracts being sold? What about them is safer than another method of extraction?  Every study I have ever read suggests that inappropriate parts of the plant, or very low quality kava were what caused kava bans and liver toxicity due to flavokawain B?  If the study suggests that solvent based extractions are indeed unsafe, why would a co2 extraction versus something like a food grade n-butane or reagent grade acetone not contain hepatotoxic constituents?
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21377431 " Liver injury occurred after the use of traditional aqueous kava extracts in the South Pacific region and of acetonic and ethanolic extracts in Western countries in rare cases, suggesting that the solvents used play no major causative role. "

I had thought that there were certain things in kava that alcohol extracts but water leaves behind. Not sure of a single study but I know they are floating around on here. Maybe try searching liver toxicity on the kava lounge and they wil probably come up

 

[kl.stinkweed]

I will do a search, but why would something like a co2 extract, which seems to be completely accepted on this site not pull those bad chems as well? In my experience making extracts from various plants (many of which have actives that are not water soluble), a co2 extraction will pull everything that another solvent will.

 

[kl.stinkweed]

I believe I've found it, at least something relating to what you are mentioning, and I will be using food grade n-butane or reagent grade acetone from here on, because although I can't find anything on ethanol actually destroying glutathione, the concentration of the anti-oxidant is much lower in ethanol extractions than water based extractions or hexane based extractions (and n-butane is an AWESOME solvent for creating clean and quick extractions, and my usual solvent of choice for other plant matter, but I can't recommend the average person attempt it at home, unless they happen to have access to a closed system such as a tamisium extractor, simply because there are too many people blowing themselves up all over my state by not following proper precautions).  Here is a pretty good article on the component I believe you are referring to http://www.immune-health-solutions-for-you.com/glutathione-side-effects.html . That being said, the rest of the process I put up can be used with any form of concentrate, you can simply use whatever gives you the greatest piece of mind, or if you choose to use alcohol as your solvent, use your product as a boost to your normal kava brew, not a replacement.  The purpose of my original post was simply to provide a method of promoting bioavailability of kava concentrates :].  

I also would like to add that I love the concern for health and safety on this site, most forums I have been on show little concern for safety in a lot of ways, you guys are awesome.

 

[mos3z]

Hey stinkweed,

I don't know that much about this, just from other articles I read on here. If my memory is correct I believe Adil (from Paradise Kava) just took part in a new study. I'm not sure if the study has been posted yet, from what he learned it sounded like the study proved that solvent based extractions can cause liver damage. Adil had provided his co2 based extraction for the study and it was the only one that didn't cause the same damage.



I will look for a link, but I wish some of the other guys on here with more chemical knowledge would jump on.

 

[kl.stinkweed]

I would love to see the links, I always enjoy learning new things and if it further decreases harm potential that is even better! I can't find anything that would suggest any toxicity from solvent based extractions versus water based extractions or co2 extractions though, the studies I have read suggest even normal preparation of kava can cause liver damage if unsuitable cultivars or portions of the plant are used.  If it is indeed that ethanol simply doesn't extract a high enough concentration of glutathione, then an extract using hexane, acetone, or butane would be just as safe as a co2 extract, assuming pure solvents were used, and a proper purge is performed.This is interesting though: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21377431 " Liver injury occurred after the use of traditional aqueous kava extracts in the South Pacific region and of acetonic and ethanolic extracts in Western countries in rare cases, suggesting that the solvents used play no major causative role. "http://awadevelopment.org/awabook.pdfc. should also be highlighted, but I am too lazy to go back and do it lol

 

[mos3z]

Hey stink

I tried searching the archive but can't find the post. I wonder if it was removed?

Unfortunately Adil just left on long term vacation, but once he gets back he can chime in. I believe it was a brand new study that hadn't been published yet, that's why you can't find any info on it. It sounded kind of crappy for the kava community, but was interesting that the co2 extract didn't have the same negative effects.

 

[kl.stinkweed]

Thank you for pointing me in the right direction, I hope he can elaborate on the study a bit when he returns, it does sound rather concerning.

 

[The Kap'n]

That and I hope Steve from ozia (kava candy) chimes in. He's also quite knowledgable of the possible negative effects. Your butane method really got me thinking. I wonder how different the co2 extract is when compared to a butane extraction.

 

[kl.stinkweed]

Admittedly, kava extractions are new to me compared to the other extractions I have been doing, but I do know that butane is extremely easy and clean to work with, as well as to re use, in fact, co2 actually makes a lower purity product than what I generally will donate to patients or receive appropriate donations for in the CA medical scene, but because of how difficult it is for your average person to work with, the prices for co2 and oxygen extractions of a certain medicinal plant go for a much higher price, or people simply re-label their butane extractions as a co2 extraction and jack up their prices. Kava is a lot different, but the main actives are also not or poorly water soluble, and highly lipid soluble, so the process is fairly similar.

 

[kl.stinkweed]

I can understand the increase in concentration, and it appears acetone would not be a good solvent for avoiding this compound either even though it does pull the antioxidants found in water based extractions, but what would the difference be in a supercritical extraction of co2 versus butane? By the way, aqueous extractions can definitely cause liver damage as well, I'd like to quote this a third time  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21377431 " Liver injury occurred after the use of traditional aqueous kava extracts in the South Pacific region and of acetonic and ethanolic extracts in Western countries in rare cases, suggesting that the solvents used play no major causative role. "

 

[krunkedout]

I'm a little skeptical of that study because it even says that the kava "may have been contaminated".

 

[kl.stinkweed]

I believe they are referring to the quality and preparation of the imported kavas, http://awadevelopment.org/awabook.pdf mentions that the quality, parts used, and particular cultivar of kava used play a significant role Anyways, the original purpose of this post was to help people promote bioavailability of their extract of choice, not to force ethanol extractions, but I am exceptionally curious now as to why a supercritical extraction using co2 as a solvent would be any safer than a butane extraction, hopefully Adil can show the study or Steve from Ozia has some information that can help end my confusion :].