Traditionally, kava root is macerated, then steeped in a liquid (e.g., water, coconut milk, alcohol) and strained before being drunk.[1] Some reported traditional medicinal uses also incorporate plant parts other than the root.[2]
Less-traditional kava preparations include (but aren’t limited to) tinctures, teas, capsules, and dried powders. When researchers tested different preparations, they found a wide variety of kavalactone content, sometimes inconsistent with the labeling.[3] Kava extracts have been used in cosmetics, but there is still insufficient evidence regarding both kava’s toxicity and efficacy when applied topically.[1]
Standardized preparations of kava also exist and can be found throughout the scientific literature. The standardized preparations cited most frequently in clinical trials include kava root extractions (ethanol-in-water or acetone) standardized to 30–70% kavalactones.[4][5]