Kratom
Mitragyna speciosa
Other names: ketum, biak, kakuam, kratom (Thai กระท่อม)
Photo credit: Uomo vitruviano / Wikimedia Commons
This plant carries serious safety risks. All information is for educational reference only.
Safety information
Toxicity: serious - dependence/withdrawal, tachycardia, hypertension, seizures, hepatotoxicity, respiratory depression, and deaths (often in combination with other drugs); concentrated 7-OH products are higher risk.
Contraindications: pregnancy/breastfeeding, opioid use disorder without supervision, cardiac/hepatic disease, concurrent CNS depressants, psychiatric vulnerability, adolescents.
Interactions: dangerous additive CNS/respiratory depression with opioids, benzodiazepines, alcohol; CYP-mediated interactions (CYP3A4/2D6); serotonergic interactions (risk of serotonin toxicity).
Pregnancy & breastfeeding: contraindicated in pregnancy/breastfeeding
Evidence level
Supported by laboratory or animal studies; not yet confirmed in humans.
Preparations
This plant carries serious safety risks. All information is for educational reference only.
traditional preparation · leaf
Part used: leaf
Traditional use: stimulant at low exposure, opioid-like sedation/analgesia at higher exposure
Proposed mechanism: mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine act at mu-opioid receptors
Associated conditions
Healing traditions
Sources (3)
- CRS: Kratom Regulation - Federal Status (US CRS)
- FDA and Kratom (FDA)
- Kratom ingestion requiring naloxone reversal (PMC6366391)