Kratom Drug Facts

What is Kratom?

Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is a tropical evergreen plant aboriginal to the Southeast Asia. Its leaves are devoured by drying, smoking, chewing and putting into the Kratom capsules. Leaves of the Kratom have long been used by the people of that region to alleviate pain and turn away the fatigue. Prozialeck et al, an article published in 2012, showed evidence that the Kratom had been used for the self-supervision of the pain relief and opioid withdrawal in the US. Because the constituents of chemical present in the Kratom have pharmacologic functions, Kratom was classified as the the herbal product by Drug Enforcement Administration  of the United States.

Other Names For Kratom

Kratom can also be called as Biak, Ithang, Ketum, Thom, Herbal speed ball, Ketum and Kakuam.

How You Can Consume Kratom?

You can consume it by the following methods:

·      Put in a capsule

·      Take as a pill

·      Stew the powdered leaves

·      Chew the leaves of Kratom

·      Brew its leaves as a tea

·      You can also consume it in food

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Kratom Scheduling

Kratom has been a controversial drug on the DEA’s list of drugs for several years. DEA planned to place Kratom in Schedule I  on August 31, 2016 and impose ban on it. A number of the Kratom admirers cast aspersions on it and contested for its legality. American Kratom Association supported its use and thus laws were enforced in the approval of Kratom production and uses. Still there are some cities in the United States where Kratom is still banned.

Kratom Pharmacology

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported in February 2018 that Kratom contains opioid properties. Alkaloids, which are responsible to alleviate pain, have been identified in the Kratom with substantial chemical properties. These alkaloids attach to the opioid receptors of the brain and helps in minimizing the stress or depression level. It also results in peaceful sleep without cramps of muscles.

Action of the primary mitragynine takes place at the mu and delta opioid receptors. According to the findings of Animal studies, the action may take place at the spinal cord pathways of serotonergic and noradrenergic. The impacts of the receptors of opioid are fluctuating with opioid antagonist naloxone. Mitragynine is the psychoactive compound of M. speciosa Korth and manages the opioid-like effects. It is 13 times more intoxicating than morphine. The 7-hydroxymitragynine has a greater attraction for the receptors of opioid.

Kratom Effects on the Brain

A number of researches have proved Kratom as a harm reduction drug, most primarily when it substitutes for the opioids among the addicts. The leaves of the Kratom has two main compounds, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine. These compounds interrelate with the receptors of opioid in brain that results in decreased pain and produce sensation. Kratom can affect brain in the same way as stimulants. Mitragynine interacts with the brain receptors system that provides stimulant effects. Kratom jacks up the mood and lessens stress. Kratom strain enhances the memory power and strengthens brain activities. These strains help in cognitive improvements as well.

Kratom Effects on the Health

Kratom has such components that have the capability to control insulin growth and thus it has proved as a treatment for Diabetes. Alkaloids in the Kratom reduce anxiety and help to sustain a peaceful sleep [1]

On the other hand, the excessive use of Kratom results in sedation and the increased urinary outflow. Its low dose leads to the active alertness and enhances physical energy. Kratom addictive may suffer hallucination and delusion. They show perplexity in their attitude. Nausea, sweating, increased urination, constipation and loss of appetite are caused by Kratom addiction. Its long term intake results in anorexia, constipation and insomnia.

Can Kratom Cause Addiction?

As Kratom is obtained from the natural plants, it should not make to think that it cannot be addictive. There are many other drugs that are consumed from plant but are addictive such as cocaine, obtained from coca leaves. Similarly, nicotine is consumed from tobacco plant and heroin from opium poppy. Kratom is found to be addictive after its use by the Southeast Asian countries because of its following typical characters:

·      Narcotic withdrawal

·      The attitude of drug-seeking

·      Tolerance

·      Cravings

·      Feeling of escaping the negative emotions

·      Haunting thinking about using the drug

·      Enduring a temporary space from the stresses of life.

Can You Overdose Kratom?

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, overdose on Kratom may lead to the potentially harmful impacts that include the cardiac arrest, high blood pressure and extreme dizziness. Most of the Kratom addicts are found with the severe seizures that hamper the neurological activities of brain and can cause death eventually.

Is Kratom Safe?

No doubt it is one of the most searched questions about the Kratom. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported that there are no approved uses of the Kratom by FDA but still there are particular apprehensions on it. In order to find out the main fact either if it is safe or has some medical sort of practicality. The research center in the United States has manipulated almost 45 deaths of the Kratom addicts, although majority of them were consuming other drugs along with the Kratom or taking the products that were blighted with the toxic bacteria such as salmonella. An agency has annihilated all the companies and industries that used to sell Kratom for the purpose of pain relief. 

How Can You Detect Kratom in Your Body?

Mitragynine which is the main component of the Kratom has a half-life of 24 hours almost. In the body, It can be identified by the technical lab testings.

Ø Urine

Urine can identify the use of Kratom for almost up to a week.

Ø Breast Milk

The psychoactive ingredients of Kratom are thought to present in the milk of the breast. Thus, it can be used for the identification process.

Ø Hair

Researches have shown that hair can also use for the detection of Kratom intake but this test is not available yet.

Ø Blood

For a number of days of Kratom intake, blood is used for its detection procedure.