Alkaloids are present in everything we eat, drink, and use daily. They are the most commonly occurring organic compound that is not widely discussed. Each alkaloid has its own set of characteristics, pros and cons, effects, and uses, so it has a specific name rather than being known as alkaloid in general. Alkaloids found in kratom are mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine.
Kratom Alkaloids are one of the commonly searched keywords by people who are looking to find the nitty-gritty of kratom before consumption. In this article, we have covered alkaloids in kratom: 7 Hydroxymitragynine and Mitragynine explained in detail.
What are Alkaloids?
Alkaloids are naturally found chemical compounds. They are basic organic compounds that consist of at least one nitrogen atom. In addition to carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen, alkaloids contain sulfur, oxygen, chlorine, bromine, and phosphorus.
The term alkaloids was first coined in 1819 by German chemist Carl Friedrich Wilhelm GroBmann but scientists didn’t call it till the 1880s when Oscar Jacobsen mentioned it in one of his articles.
The classification of alkaloids is still unclear as some researchers don’t believe that it has a common cyclical structure. They enforce that Alkaloids have many overlapping structures and functions as amino acids, proteins, and amines.
The biological function of alkaloids is what makes them different. Some scientists still think that alkaloids should be classified as a subtype of a much greater organic compound. The discussion about alkaloids is still waving hence its classification might change in the future.
Do You Know: Alkaloid content in kratom leaves varied as per harvest time, location technique, and more.
How are Alkaloids Produced?
Alkaloids are chemical compounds and their production is highly influenced by external factors like sunlight, temperature, soil composition, and other growth techniques. The alkaloid content is changed in every type of strain of kratom.
Biologists explain the production of alkaloids as the interaction of various biological pathways in the plant. And it can be affected and mold depending on the environment.
When the kratom plant is young, most of the alkaloids are formed at this age. The plant tissues are more impacted by the surroundings and accept all kinds of environmental changes.
Kratom Alkaloids: 7 Hydroxymitragynine and Mitragynine Explained
Mitragynine and 7-Hydroxymitragynine are the primary alkaloids found in kratom leaves. 7-Hydroxymitragynine is a naturally occurring variant of mitragynine, but more potent, it is found in less concentration as compared to mitragynine. These two alkaloids help relax the human body.
Mitragynine takes up to 70% of the alkaloid content in kratom. It solely works with receptors in the human body to provide stimulating effects.
Hydroxymitragynine is the kratom plant’s principal psychoactive alkaloid, which plays an important part in enhancing mitragynine’s pain-relieving effects by stimulating opioid receptors. Hydroxymitragynine has more power than morphine to deal with pain. Apart from opioid receptors, 7-Hydroxymitragynine can pose a stronger impact on your dopamine, serotonin, and adrenergic receptors.
The molecular formula of hydroxymitragynine is C23H30N2O5 with a molecular weight of 414.50 g/mol.
Apart from these two primary alkaloids, there are some minor alkaloids too like Paynantheine, Speciogynine, Ajmalicine, Mitraphylline, and many more.
Let’s learn a little more about these alkaloids.
1. Paynantheine
You can find very little information about this alkaloid on the internet. Paynantheine is another chemical compound that is widely found in kratom leaves. It has more concentration than 7-Hydroxymitragynine so basically, it is the second-highest alkaloid after mitragynine. However, it is not commonly discussed as it performs less or no activity in the human body.
2. Ajmalicine
Ajmalicine is another alkaloid receptor antagonist that interacts with the human body to help stimulate and regulate various body organs. It was one of the first alkaloids found in kratom in 1970 in Southeast Asia.
3. Mitraphylline
Mitraphylline is the major pentacyclic oxindole alkaloid that has traditionally been used to deal with heart diseases, cancer, arthritis, and bone alignments. This alkaloid has more potential but it is found in less than 1% in kratom.
4. Speciogynine
Speciogynine is also an alkaloid found in kratom that provides active effects in the human body. There is very little to no research on this, but it has the potential for more studies.
There are many more alkaloids found in kratom other than mitragynine and hydroxymitragynine but most of them have very minimal research on them. Along with the highest found alkaloids, these smaller concentrated alkaloids work as a help to activate the simulation process in the body.
Conclusion
Kratom is still not popular in various cultures thus more research needs to be done to find out its effects on the body in detail like we know how cannabis chemical components work to give more effects on the human body.
Although chemical research is lacking, we have sufficient botanical information like kratom leaf strains, their color, effects, and chemical composition.
The composition of kratom also varies by location, growing process, techniques, and temperature. If you are finding high-quality kratom produced and labeled in a good hygienic environment, you can opt for Occurs Naturally Kratom tablets. They’ve also displayed their lab results on their website which also ensures their transparency and reliability.
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