KRATOM

Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is a tree in the coffee family, found in Indonesia and neighboring countries. In Indonesia, Kratom is known by the nickname "Heavenly Leaf from Kalimantan" because of its benefits as a traditional medicine.

In Southeast Asia, people traditionally have chewed its leaves or made them into a tea that is used to fight fatigue and improve work productivity.

Kratom has also traditionally been used during religious ceremonies and to treat symptoms such as pain and diarrhea, sometimes as a substitute for opium.

The use of Kratom leaves in the formulation of herbal supplements is becoming increasingly popular. Experts consider kratom an opioid-like substance because it affects your brain's opioid receptors.

In low doses, it's a stimulant. But in high doses, it can relieve pain like opioids do. Just like opioids, kratom can be addictive. People who use kratom have reported both stimulant-like effects (increased energy, alertness, rapid heart rate) and effects like those of opioids and sedatives (relaxation, pain relief, confusion). Some people in Western countries use Kratom to try to treat pain or manage opioid withdrawal symptoms ¹-⁸ .

Mitragynine

Kratom leaves contain more than 40 types of alkaloid compounds beneficial to the body, including Mitragynine, 7-hydroxymitragynine, Speciociliatine, Corynantheidine, Speciogynine, Paynantheine, and Mitraphylline. The most well-studied compounds related to kratom are mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine. The two compounds are known to interact with opioid receptors in the brain. Both activate mu-opioid receptors (specific molecular structures on the surface of nerve cells), but the resulting effects only partially compare to those of opioids like heroin or oxycodone¹⁰. Compared to Methadone, Mitragynine provides longer-lasting effects and has lower toxicity due to its more stable binding to the mu-opioid receptors¹¹.

Some research suggests that Mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine may not cause some of the more serious adverse effects associated with opioid use such as respiratory depression (trouble breathing) that can occur during life-threatening opioid overdose¹². Scientists also have observed that Mitragynine may bind to adrenergic receptors, serotonin receptors and dopamine receptors, which may be responsible for some of the arousing effects some people who use kratom report experiencing⁹˒¹³˒¹⁴.

Kratom for pain

Kratom may be effective for easing chronic pain, as it works by attaching to opioid receptors. One compound found in kratom, 7-hydroxy mitragynine, is 13 times more potent than morphine. Although kratom targets opioid receptors just like morphine and codeine do, it is considered an atypical opioid. Kratom selectively inactivates specific signals, which may explain the more tolerable side effects compared to typical opioids.

Kratom for pain boosting mood

Kratom may have mood-enhancing effects. Some reports suggest that kratom may be an effective treatment for opioid addiction. Some people use it to help ease the withdrawal symptoms of morphine and ethanol. Early studies suggest that kratom may have potential as an antidepressant and a hunger suppressant. In one animal study, researchers determined that kratom lowers corticosterone levels in mice. Increased corticosterone levels are just one of the changes in brain chemicals that can be seen in depression. Furthermore, in another study with rats, kratom supplementation suppressed hunger by inhibiting the hypothalamus, the part of the brain responsible for appetite and cravings. More research on humans is needed to see if kratom has similar effects.

Kratom for opiate withdrawal

Some people have reported that kratom can help with self-treatment of opioid withdrawal symptoms. It has also been promoted as a remedy or cure for opioid addiction. But there’s no approved use of kratom for these purposes. Experts need to look deeper into this to understand if it can actually help with withdrawal.