Kratom is the common term used in the United States for the chopped, whole or the powdered leaves and the extracts of the Mitragyna speciose tree. This indigenous tree is found in the Malaysia, Philippines and South East Asia. The tree is from the Rubiaceae family which consists of the genus Coffea. Kratom contains the alkaloids that are active in the central nervous system, and they have the behavioral and physiological effects to the humans. In South East Asia, kratom was used for oral consumption as tea-like extracts thus enhancing the well-being and moods of people.

Consequently, leaves of kratom were used during the ancient time as stimulant, relaxants, for treating the minor pain which was felt by individuals and as anxiolytics. In the United States, these leaves have used the self-medication for substituting the prescriptions of the illicit opioids.  The genus Mitragyna possesses ten species which have the ethnomedicinal use, but the analgesic and stimulant effects are the traits of the Mitragyna speciosa. Due to the biased agonists’ kratom is known to have reduced respiratory depression and the abuse potential concerning the opioids of abuse. Therefore, in the United States, kratom leaves were used to improve people’s moods and the quality of life. Also, pain and the opioid withdrawal were managed through the abstinence from the opioids.

The kratom leaves are believed to consist of twenty-five alkaloids which are the 7-OH-MG and MG which tend to be the active alkaloids present in plants. Kratom consists of 0.5 to 1.5 percent of the alkaloid content where MG makes up 60 percent of the kratom extract and 7-OH-MG making up the 2 percent. The quantities of 7-OH-MG lead to the psychoactive properties of the kratom plant. Both these elements contain the nanomolar binding affinities and the functional activities of the tissue assays. The MG component from the plant ends up producing respiratory depression in people. Therefore, the MG component ends up causing the serotonergic, mu-opioid agonist and the adrenergic in individuals who consume the extracts from kratom. Also, this component is known to produce the appropriate therapeutic effects like relieving pain with the undesired effects of abuse potential and respiratory depression. MG has a non-opioid and non-morphinan molecular structure which has the scaffolding functions such as the partial agonist in the u-opioid receptors. This effect makes this component to become a receptor biased agonists which lead to the representation of the newer category which is called, the safer analgesics.

Kratom consumption in the United States is through the liquids which are purchased as the manufactured products and through consumer preparations. The kratom liquids are accessible to the caffeinated energy drinks and other energy supplements. The cold and hot water extraction methods are used in making the coffee and tea. Leaf materials are boiled as either chopped, powdered or as a whole thus aiding in the extraction of the kratom supplements. The bitter and unpleasant taste of the kratom extracts is masked by the addition of flavoring ingredients and other sweeteners. The distasteful nature makes kratom extracts difficult for the children to accidentally consume them. Also, in South East Asia, people chew the kratom leaves since it is affordable and accessible by people. Therefore, the opioids end up being used in food, beverages and through the nasal cavity among the individuals in the United States and South East Asia.

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