II. Background
- Herbal stimulant at low dose and with Opioid effects at higher dose
- Currently legal in U.S. to purchase at gas stations and smoke shops
- U.S. sales are >1 Billion/year (as of 2025)
- Marketed in capsule, liquid and powder form
- Not yet categorized as controlled substance
- FDA has had concerns regarding serious adverse effects including death
III. Mechanism
- Extracted from leaves of tropical tree (Mitragyna Speciosa) within coffee family, grown in Southeast Asia
- Leaves have traditionally been chewed or brewed as a tea
- Stimulant effects at low dose (as traditionally used, leaf form)
- Opioid effects at high dose (concentrated, marketed forms)
- Active ingredients and active metabolites
- Mitragynine (most abundant in leaves, 0.25 MME or Morphine Equivalents)
- 7-Hydroxymitragynine (10-13 MME or Morphine Equivalents)
IV. Adverse Effects
- Stimulant effects
-
Opioid Effects
- Drowsiness
- Nausea
- Opioid Withdrawal
- High Dose, Toxicity or Overdose
- Hepatotoxicity
- Seizures
- Respiratory Depression
- Cardiac Arrest
V. Drug Interactions
- Inhibits many Cytochrome P450 metabolism pathways (increases other drug levels)
- CYP1A2 Inhibitor
- CYP2D6 Inhibitor
- CYP3A4 Inhibitor
VI. Resources
VII. References
- (2016) Presc Lett 23(11)
- (2025) Presc Insights, Issue 3/2025
Images: Related links to external sites (from Bing)
Related Studies
| Concepts | Plant (T002) |
| English | Mitragyna speciosa Korth., Mitragyna speciosa |
