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Abstract
Kratom: Herbal Medicine or Narcotic Drug
Duangkaew Panyaphu*, Sumethee Namkeard, Witapa Inchai, Kulsiri Yossathera
Thai traditional medicine research institute, Department for Development of Thai Traditional and
Alternative Medicine, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand.
*Corresponding author: kpanyaphu@gmail.com
Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa Korth.) is an endemic plant species of Southeast Asia. The main
constituents in kratom leaves are alkaloids, especially mytragynine and its derivatives, which
possess psychological activities as well as nociceptive activities similar to those of morphine. This
plant has been widely used throughout Southeast Asian countries as a herbal drug for decades.
Kratom has been incorporated into many Thai traditional recipes for the treatment of diarrhea,
cough, fever, muscle aches, opium withdrawal, diabetes and hypertension. It is also found in
materia medica of Thai traditional medicine. In Thailand, kratom is used in men to combat fa-
tigue and enhance tolerance to hard work under the scorching sun. Recently, there have been
reports of kratom abuse, where kratom is mixed with other psychoactive substances, known as a
kratom cocktail, 4 × 100. Thus, many countries have classified kratom and its constituents as
controlled substances and narcotic drugs and imposed strict regulations on the production, utili-
zation and distribution of this plant and its products. Nevertheless, the additional pharmacologi-
cal and toxicological properties, methods of extraction with higher yield and the development of
new pharmaceutical products of kratom and its constituents are continuously explored in many
countries. Therefore, Thailand should review the role, regulation, and value of kratom especially
in terms of herbal medicine.
Key words: kratom, alkaloids, Mytragynine, herbal medicine, narcotic drug