Kratom – ensuring the safety of a major new supplement
Kratom, a traditional medicine from Southeast Asia, is growing fast in popularity as a dietary supplement in the US and Europe. Although concerns exists about its safety, kratom’s opioid and stimulant-like effects are attractive to both medicinal and recreational users, while researchers also want to study its potential as a pharmaceutical drug.
Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is a tropical tree from the coffee family, which has traditionally been used as a herbal medicine in Southeast Asia.
Kratom leaves contain mitragynine, an alkaloid that produces opioid effects and some stimulant-like effects when smoked or otherwise consumed – often orally along with a sweetener, brewed into tea, or swallowed as a pill-style supplement.
Mitragynine is the most abundant alkaloid in kratom leaves (comprising up to 66% of total alkaloids in Thai varieties), while 7-hydroxymitragynine is also present, but only in very small amounts. Both are antagonists of the mu-opioid receptor. Other alkaloids that can also be found in kratom include speciociliatine, speciogynine, paynantheine, mitraphylline and corynoxine.
At low doses, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine cause stimulant-like effects in users, such as increased alertness and giddiness, whilst higher doses can lead to opioid-like effects including relaxation and relief from pain. Kratom is therefore used both medicinally and recreationally, with many also praising its utility in managing chronic pain and opioid use disorder.
In recent years, markets for kratom leaves and their associated products have emerged outside Southeast Asia – particularly in Europe and America, with the once obscure plant now responsible for around $1.3 billion of sales a year in the US.
However, concerns about its addictive properties and other potential side-effects (such as confusion, nausea and insomnia) have led to it being controlled or banned in some territories, as well as calls for further regulation from advocates and critics alike. As with all opioids, the primary concern about kratom is the potential for its users to overdose and suffer a cardiac or respiratory arrest: an outcome that can occur when it is used improperly with other medication, or with illicit drugs.
At the same time, the number of consumers who use kratom to self-medicate for pain, anxiety, depression, substance use disorders, and substance withdrawal has led to it becoming a drug of interest for researchers who want to study its suitability as a mainstream medication. Recent animal studies have suggested that kratom and related compounds may have additional therapeutic potential, such as antidepressant and pain-relieving properties, which warrant further study.
All of the above factors highlight the importance of accurate kratom testing: producers and other manufacturers in the industry need to be sure about alkaloid levels in their products, as the wrong quantity of alkaloids could mean the difference between successful pain relief or an overdose.
Similarly, accurate quantitative measurement of alkaloids is of crucial importance for researchers investigating the potential pharmacological uses of kratom.
LGC AXIO Proficiency Testing has 40 years of experience as a trusted supplier of proficiency testing (PT) schemes and samples. Our new Alkaloid content in kratom sample (PT-CA-13) further extends our natural drug range and will enable participating laboratories to assess their ability to undertake kratom testing - providing them with in-depth reports on their performance and the ability to compare results with peers around the world.
By supporting meaningful and accurate kratom testing, the new sample will also help strengthen consumer confidence, medical research, and regulatory compliance.
Author Savvas Xystouris, Technical Development Manager Savvas Xystouris is the Technical Development Manager at LGC AXIO Proficiency Testing where he is responsible for developing proficiency testing materials, primarily for Food Chemistry proficiency testing schemes, which support laboratories worldwide in their quality control and food testing efforts.
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