Kratom Talk

Kratom prohibited in Norway and Sweden

2009-12-01T03:43:00.001-05:00

Caving to pressure from pharmaceutical companies, kratom is now prohibited in Norway and Sweden. The governments acknowledged that kratom was not a problem but it was prohibited to prevent kratom from ever becoming a problem.

Herbal highs discussed in UK Newspaper

2009-05-07T22:07:00.000-04:00

Here is an article published in The Guardian discussing a potential UK ban for Spice Gold. In the US, Spice Gold has already been banned de facto because its contents are presumed to be illegal under the Federal Analog Act. The UK does not have a similar law and it appears that they are considering a ban of Spice itself. This seems like a very odd approach compared to banning the constitutent ingredient, JWH-018. The list of substances at the end of the blog, "plant products such as Hawaiian Baby Woodrose, Kava and Kratom, unusual stimulants, ecstasy-style drugs such as BZP," also reeks of shoddy journalism by classifying dissimilar substances together. In the USA at least, Kava is a registered supplement. You can buy it at Whole Foods.

New mitragyna speciosa research paper

2009-04-05T04:07:00.000-04:00

Thai researchers published a paper on kratom in the Songklanakarin Journal of Science and Technology. There are also library listings for this paper. They specifically study methanol extracts of mitragyna speciosa showing that the methanol extract of kratom and the alkaloidal extract of kratom both have analgesic effects in mice. They calculated the 50% lethal dose (LD50) of these extracts, which were 4.90 g/kg for the methanol extract and 173.20 mg/kg for the alkaloidal extract. They conclude that there are little or no behavioral effects caused by the mitragyna speciosa

This can function as a replication of the analgesic action of mitragyna speciosa, but I believe the action of mitragyna speciosa has already been replicated several times. I get the impression that these researchers made some mistakes with their alkaloidal extract, perhaps not having the right proportion of 7-hydroxymitragynine involved which compromises their results.

Kratom Derivatives

2008-11-22T13:32:00.000-05:00

I found another kratom paper discussing the synthesis of compounds derived from mitragynine and their effects in mice. From the paper:

The oxidative derivatives of mitragynine, i.e., mitragynine pseudoindoxyl and 7-hydroxymitragynine, were found as opioid agonists with higher potency than morphine in the experiment with guinea pig ileum.

[7-hydroxymitragynine], a minor constituent of M. speciosa [kratom], was found to exhibit high potency to opioid receptors: about 13- and 46-fold higher than those of [mitragynine pseudoindoxyl] and [mitragynine], respectively.

The intrinsic activity of [7-hydroxymitragynine] suggested its full agonistic property on opioid receptors.

In other words, the main active alkaloid of kratom is a full agonist (activator) of μ-opioid receptors and is quite potent. Furthermore:

It was also found that the methoxy group on the indole ring at the C9 position as well as the Nb lone electron pair in the fundamental structure of Corynanthe type indole alkaloid are essential structural functions for opioid agonistic activity. With altering the functional group at the C9 position, i.e., OMe -> OH -> H, of mitragynine, the activities of compounds dramatically shifted from that of full agonists through partial agonists to that of antagonists on opioid receptors.

So it's relatively easy to modify mitragynine to be a full agonist, partial agonist, or antagonist. The medical implications for this could be huge, with designer pharmaceuticals with just the correct proportions of each of these to provide effective pain relief while also preventing a tolerance buildup. This also explains the antagonistic properties of kratom; the process they did of OMe -> OH -> H is the opposite of the process the plant uses to synthesis mitragynine. So these intermediates are present in the leaf, most likely being responsible for kratom also being an opioid antagonist as well as an agonist.

The full text of the paper can be found here on Scribd. There is also a link to download the PDF on there.

Kratom ban no longer a threat in Massachusetts

2008-11-18T23:22:00.000-05:00

In 2007, a bill was proposed in Massachusetts that would have outlawed salvia divinorum along with kratom and khat.

The Amherst Student News gives an update on this issue. The bill to ban salvia is still moving forward, however, kratom and khat were removed from the bill. According to Rep. Vinny deMacedo, R-Plymouth, "There was not a lot of support for it.. They were removed so we could move the salvia piece forward. Albeit, Chief of Police Hayes felt strongly about keeping them on."

It is fortunate that the representatives proposing the bill decided it wasn't worth criminalizing kratom. It is widely recognized as a legitimate herbal remedy so it would be a shame to outlaw it.

Wholesale Kratom

2008-11-10T22:20:00.000-05:00

Wholesale kratom is available from several different sources.

The world's largest supplier of Bali kratom is Wholesale Shamanic Herbs, also operating a retail website, Psychoactive Herbs.

You can also get wholesale kratom from Get Kratom.

Kratom Instructions

2008-11-05T23:18:00.005-05:00

Kratom tastes extremely bitter. The best way to mask it is with sugar. Lots and lots of sugar. Maybe some splenda and honey too. Honey really cuts the bitterness. Best is to add sugar to the pot so it dissolves, then add a little honey to your cup.

Suggested Instructions:

Start by boiling a saucepot with the amount of tea you want; I suggest 2 cups, or 32 ounces, per person. More or less water can be used, as this only affects how concentrated (and bitter) the kratom is. As long as you drink it all, the effect will be the same.

After the water is boiling, turn the heat off. For a first time user, measure slightly approximately 1 tablespoon (6-7 grams) of kratom leaf powder per person and add to the pot. More experienced users can use up to 2 tablespoons (12-14 grams). After the kratom is in, pour in a lot of sugar and stir. If you prefer to use artificial sweeteners instead of sugar, these can be added to your cup at the end if it's more convenient.

Allow the kratom to steep for at least 15-20 minutes, or until cool enough to drink, stirring occasionally. Let it sit for five minutes after last stirring to allow the kratom powder to settle. Then, pour it into a pitcher, taking care so that the powder stays in the bottom of the pot.

After it's in the pitcher, pour it into a french press to filter out any powder that remains. If you do not have a french press, simply let it sit again so the powder settles on the bottom.

Enjoy, and remember that the more sugar (and honey) you add, the better it will taste, within reason. If you at any point don't feel well, lay down on your back and it will immediately go away.

You can put the powder back in the pot and add more water to boil again. There will be some effect, but it will be much weaker. There is almost no effect on a third preparation of the same powder.

Self-Treatment of Opioid Withdrawal Using Kratom (Mitragynia speciosa korth)

2008-10-07T02:45:00.000-04:00

Kratom was recently discussed in a peer reviewed journal. The paper is available here and is embedded below.

Self-Treatment of Opioid Withdrawal Using Kratom - Upload a Document to Scribd

Regarding Kratom

2008-02-05T01:46:00.000-05:00

Kratom is the leaf of a tree from Southeast Asia. It is both a stimulant and an opiate, often consumed as a tea. As an opiate, it is about as strong as hydrocodone or vicodin. It is delicious when sweetened with ample sugar and it is good for your health just like green tea because 8 ounces of properly prepared kratom contains an ungodly amount of anti-oxidants [1]. The FDA classifies kratom as neither a food, drug, or herbal supplement which puts it in a weird legal no mans land. This is why most vendors sell it as an incense strictly "not for human consumption." One of the active alkaloids of kratom, 7-hydroxymitragynine, is an incredibly strong opiate, 17 times as strong as morphine by weight [2]. Kratom has been further tested as a drug on your average variety of small mammals. In this study on guinea pigs and mice, they didn't get the 17x stronger than morphine number but they did conclude that 7-hydroxy-mitragynine is a dose dependant antinociceptive that is stronger than morphine [3]. They do a follow up study demonstrating cross tolerance with morphine. [4]

Cheap 7-hydroxy-mitragyine could certainly be a public health problem on the order of heroin but it is unlikely to become available on the street in pure form and the plant form is not a dangerous narcotic because it is impossible to ingest it in large volumes. Erowid [5] is the authoritative list of studies [6] on the subject of kratom. You can read more than 50 personal experiences with kratom, mostly with regards to it as a recreational drug though some individuals there use it as a substitute for traditional opiates or to potentiate other drugs. Most of the negative experiences can be attributed to people incorrectly consuming kratom [7]. Kratom is properly consumed as a tea with lots of sugar or other sweetener and the extra kratom powder filtered out with a french press.

Kratom is completely legal everywhere except some of its native Southeast Asia: Thailand, Burma, and Malaysia, and Australia [8].

[1] See the alkaloids of Cats Claw and kratom

[2] Indole Alkaloids of a Thai Medicinal Herb, Mitragyna speciosa, that has Opioid Agonistic Effect in Guinea-Pig Ileum

[3] Antinociceptive effect of 7-hydroxymitragynine in mice: Discovery of an orally active opioid analgesic from the Thai medicinal herb Mitragyna speciosa

[4] Antinociception, tolerance and withdrawal symptoms induced by 7-hydroxymitragynine, an alkaloid from the Thai medicinal herb Mitragyna speciosa

[5] Erowid Kratom Vault

[6] Kratom References

[7] Kratom Experiences

[8] DEA: Drugs and chemicals of concern (Kratom)

What is Kratom?

2007-09-05T01:09:00.000-04:00

Kratom is a strong medicinal herb. It is the leaf of the Kratom tree, which is indigenous to Thailand. Unfortunately, Kratom is illegal in its native land but it is completely legal in the United States.

In small doses, it is stimulating like caffeine, though with none of the negative side effects such as tension and headache. In high doses, Kratom crosses over into the brain to the mu-opiate receptors and functions as a potent painkiller and narcotic. It is comparable in strength to hydrocodone, the active ingredient in vicodin.

Kratom is commonly used to help individuals that suffer from chronic pain. Many prefer a natural solution over pharmaceuticals and for those without prescription drug coverage Kratom can be much more affordable.

Kratom also is a blessing for those dealing with opiate withdrawal. Kratom is of great help to individuals trying to taper off opiate usage.

If Kratom sounds like something that might work for you, Get Kratom is a high quality vendor selling premium powdered Kratom at a great price.

Even though Kratom is completely legal, it is not a registered supplement with the FDA. Because of this, sites like Get Kratom sell Kratom as an incense not intended for human consumption. Fortunately, individuals in the USA have the right to make their own choices about what they put in their body.

How do I consume Kratom?

2007-09-05T01:03:00.001-04:00

Kratom is generally consumed as a tea, though it can also be smoked or eaten alone. To prepare kratom tea, boil water in a saucepot. Once the water is at a roaring boil, turn it down to low heat and stir the kratom in. Then, turn the heat off and add a lot of sugar or other sweetener. Stir a little and let it sit for about 10 minutes to let the kratom settle to the bottom. Then, pour your kratom into a pitcher, taking care to leave the powder at the bottom of the pot. Then, you can add more water and boil again up to two more times.

Kratom can also be prepared in a french press, which will filter out all the extra powder.

For someone inexperienced with kratom, I would recommend about 1 tablespoon of kratom, or 5.75 grams. This is a good dose for gauging how kratom works for you. Up to 14 grams is a common dose, but this may cause some nausea for some individuals. Some people have been known to take up to one ounce of kratom at a time but this is not recommended for the uninitiated.

Legality

2007-07-02T23:49:00.001-04:00

Kratom is currently legal in all 50 States. It is illegal in Thailand, Myanmar, and Australia. Will Kratom ever become illegal in the USA?

It is all about the political climate. If there is no anti-Kratom hysteria, it will never happen. I just don't understand where the hysteria would come from. The DEA knows about Kratom but there is no push because there is no problem. I would hope that our elected leaders realize that there never will be a problem.

Kratom

2007-06-27T04:00:00.000-04:00

Have you heard about Kratom?

It's a fine incense. Some believe it to be the finest incense ever created. You can read more about Kratom at the Kratom Wikipedia entry.

If you are interested in purchasing Kratom, you can buy it from Get Kratom. GetKratom.com features the cheapest price for Kratom on the internet.