Flavokawain C is a melanogenesis inhibitor, it inhibited melanogenesis with IC50 values of 6.9 μM. Flavokawain C has anti-tumor activity, it inhibited cell cycle and promoted apoptosis, associated with endoplasmic reticulum stress and regulation of MAPKs and Akt signaling pathways in HCT 116 human colon carcinoma cells.

Flavokawain A, Flavokawain B and Flavokawain C are naturally occurring chalcones that have been isolated from several medicinal plants; namely the piper methysticum or commercially known as the kava-kava. Multiple researches have been done to evaluate the bioactivities of these compounds. It has been shown that all three flavokawains may hold promising anti-cancer effects. It has also been revealed that both flavokawain A and Flavokawain B are involved in the induction of cell cycle arrest in several cancer cell lines. Nevertheless, flavokawain B was shown to be more effective in treating in vitro cancer cell lines as compared to flavokawain A and Flavokawain C. Flavokawain B also exerts antinociceptive effects as well as antiinflammation properties[1]