Methysticin has been identified from kava to have potent NF-kB inhibitory activity and minimum toxicity. It is shown to inhibit NF-kB (IC50 = 0.19ug/ml) 100 times more potently than traditional kava in A549 cells in an in vitro luciferase-based assay. It is also reported to suppress the elevation of IKKalpha, p65, and COX-2 and the degradation of IkBalpha in A549 cultures stimulated with TNF-alpha; through Western Blot analysis.