National Institutes of Health. Drug Topics. More Drug Topics. Quick Links. About NIDA. Kratom DrugFacts. What is kratom? Points to Remember Kratom is a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia, with leaves that can have psychotropic effects. Kratom is not currently illegal and has been easy to order on the internet. Most people take kratom as a pill or capsule.
What is Kratom? Kratom Mitragyna speciosa is a tropical plant indigenous to Southeast Asia and certain parts of Africa, with a long history of medicinal and ceremonial use. A member of the coffee family, the leaves contain compounds that have psychotropic mind-altering effects. Traditionally Kratom leaves are chewed raw or consumed as a powder to help reduce fatigue. But it is now readily available in many forms, including dried or crushed leaves, capsules, tablets, liquids, and resin.
Kratom is now an increasingly popular alternative therapy and the drug of choice on the recreational drug market in the United States. Kratom extracts and leaves are used as a stimulant and a sedative. This substance is usually marketed and sold in stores that sell supplements and alternative medicines. These compounds produce sedative effects when consumed in large doses and stimulant effects when consumed in small doses. Doctors believe that Kratom attaches itself to the same parts of a nerve cell as opioid painkillers and, as such, causes similar effects in the brain.
Taking smaller amounts of kratom can produce effects including:. While it seems that mitragynine may be responsible for the stimulant-like effects, 7-HMG and MPI are most likely responsible for the opioid-like effects.
MPI is times more potent than morphine as a painkiller. When taking medium-to-large doses of Kratom, it seems that the effects of 7-HMG and MPI become more dominant and overpower the stimulant effects of mitragynine. These effects can include:. Several less active compounds can lead to secondary effects for kratom users. These are considered analogs of mitragynine and can include:. Through similarly unknown means, it has been shown in rodents that the effects of chronic kratom use can degrade working memory in mice , such as spatial orientation and cognitive behavioral function.
In addition, use of high doses of kratom has been shown to produce severe liver toxicity and mild kidney toxicity in a very short time; as little as 14 days. The effects of kratom are dose-dependent.
This means that doing small amounts will produce stimulant-like effects. Larger doses produce an opioid-like effect. The way that mitragynine works is very complex. It stimulates opioid receptors weakly but also interacts with serotonin and norepinephrine receptors. Please try again. Something went wrong on our side, please try again. Show references Chang-Chien GC, et al. Is kratom the new 'legal high' on the block? Pain Physician. Voelker R. Crackdown on false claims to ease opioid withdrawal symptoms.
Kruegel AC, et al. The medicinal chemistry and neuropharmacology of kratom: A preliminary discussion of a promising medicinal plant and analysis of its potential for abuse. In press. Accessed May 2, Grundmann O. Patterns of kratom use and health impact in the US — Results from an online survey.
Drug and Alcohol Dependence. Smith KE, et al. Prevalence and motivations for kratom use in a sample of substance users enrolled in a residential treatment program. Swogger MT, et al. Experiences of kratom users: A qualitative analysis. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs. Diep J, et al. Kratom, an emerging drug of abuse: A case report of overdose and management of withdrawal.
Singh D, et al. Kratom Mitragyna speciosa dependence, withdrawal symptoms and cravings in regular users. Kratom use and mental health: A systematic review. Pizarro-Osilla C. Journal of Emergency Nursing. Feng L, et al. New psychoactive substances of natural origin: A brief review. Journal of Food and Drug Analysis. Food and Drug Administration.
Accessed April 17, See also Medication-free hypertension control Alcohol: Does it affect blood pressure?
0コメント