History of Kratom

What is the polictical history of Kratom?

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Though Mitragyna speciosa Kratom has been used for a long time in South-East Asia, it does not enjoy a rich, often romanticized history similar to that of other drugs such as opium or cannabis.

Kratom culture and use was, until recently restricted to South-Eastern Asia, where it was used locally, in rural areas, for both its medical and psychoactive qualities and as a stimulant for work and a recreational relaxant.

Opium or cannabis use were much more prevalent throughout the history of Asia, associated with widespread recreational and medical use and cultivation, while Kratom use was a more localised phenomenon, primarily used as a crutch and for comfort of the working peasants. Yet in Mitragyna speciosa Kratom growing areas, some opiate addicts also frequently turned to the less common Kratom as a substitute when opium could not be obtained.

Mitragyna speciosa Kratom remains a drug associated with the rural and more recently sub-urban working class of South-East Asia, a drug used by older labourers to help with the day’s hard physical work.

In such a rural peasant, working class social context, Mitragyna speciosa Kratom users were considered more desirable workers than cannabis or opium users, since Kratom users tended to be better, more enduring workers, and also more desirable as potential husbands since hard work would ensure more financial stability…

Mitragyna speciosa Kratom was described in western literature in the early 19th century, supposedly by Pieter Willem Korthals, who worked as the official botanist for the colonial Dutch East India from 1831 to 1836.

Another source states a mention of Kratom by Low in 1836, describing Kratom as a plant that people in Malaysia would use it as a substitute when opium was unavailable or unaffordable.

In 1895, E. M. Holmes identified Kratom as Mitragyna speciosa, also referring to its local use as an opium substitute.

In 1897 H. Ridley reported that the leaves of Mitragyna speciosa were used by opium addicts and could be a cure for opium addiction, which was a growing problem, with the increase of colonial opium imports and the pharmacological enthusiasm fuelled by the recent discovery of extracted opiates.

In 1907, L. Wray described local methods of using Kratom such as chewing Kratom leaves, brewing Kratom tea and smoking Kratom leaves. Wray sent sample of Mitragyna speciosa Kratom leaves as well as its relative Mitragyna parvifolia to the University of Edinburgh, in hope that the active chemical could be discovered and analyzed for medical use Hooper actually isolated an alkaloid from the leaves of Mitragyna speciosa, a procedure repeated in 1921 by Field from the leaves sent by Fray. Field then gave the alkaloid the name mitragynine. Field also discovered and named mitraversine, from the leaves of Mitragyna parvifolia.

In addition to studies on the use of Mitragyna speciosa Kratom as a psychoactive, I. H. Burkill, in 1930, also mentioned the use of Kratom in traditional medicine, describing its use as an ointment and poultice for wounds and as a cure for fevers and diarrhea.

An extensive amount of work was then carried out other species of Mitragyna from Africa and South East Asia particularly by Raymond-Hamet.

By 1940 three other Kratom alkaloids in addition to mitragynine had been identified, and many others followed.

As the colonial era came to an end, new repressive legislations began to appear in South-East Asia.

Mitragyna speciosa Kratom was first made illegal in Thailand, on August 3, 1943 after the government passed the Kratom Act 2486 , a legislation which made it illegal to possess or sell Mitragyna speciosa Kratom leaves, made the actual planting of the native Mitragyna speciosa tree illegal, even requiring existing cultivated trees to be cut down. This law was found particularly ineffective, since the Kratom tree is actually indigenous to the country...

Today, Mitragyna speciosa Kratom is classed in the same enforcement group as cocaine and heroin under Thai law, and has the same applicable penalties.
Thailand has the death penalty for high level drug trafficking offenses, which fact which has given birth to a mythical vision of Kratom possession as “punishable by death”. In practice, however, thing are little more subtle: Kratom distributors are jailed for up to two years and fined up to 20,000 baht, and Kratom consumers can be jailed up to a month or fined up to 1000 baht.
Despite these particularly harsh sentences, Kratom use is still common, especially in rural and working class society.

As with similar prohibition laws elsewhere around the world, this has succeeded only at increasing black market prices and less quality control for users.

In 2001, a report of the Thai Narcotics Control Board indicated that Kratom was still the second most widely abused illegal drug in the country, after cannabis- thought methamphetamine/yaba use is probably underestimated.
In 2001, Thai authorities seized 1270 kilograms of Kratom, and it was estimated that two million people had used Kratom in Thailand.


A related species, Mitragyna javanica, is often used as a substitute to get around the Mitragyna speciosa Kratom law, to adulterate real Kratom or even deliberately sold as Mitragyna speciosa Kratom (which might be related to the “fake Kratom” case) but it is not considered as effective. The dominant alkaloid in this species is mitrajavine, which has not yet been pharmacologically tested.
To this day, Kratom ranks second in Thailand’s illegally used drugs, bypassed by cannabis, especially in the south of Thailand (area which also traditionally has a larger non-alcohol consuming Muslim population).

The 60 year old prohibition of Kratom in Thailand is a good example of how greater geopolitical forces also undermine the straightforward dynamics of the repressive “war on drug” stance.

In a complex and capricious political context which has recently lead to more and more military power, and hushed military intervention up to the very top of the country’s political scene, tensions abound.

Thailand is an expanding newly-developed country with an outstanding tourism based economy, and also one of fragile social and political balance. The role of the army is quite crucial, a crucial player in the complex dynamics at play, with separatist groups, religious, ethnic and social tensions, a background to Thai drug-prohibition and often massive army lead anti-drug campaigns.
All the while trying to maintain its status as a peaceful tourist holiday haven, and a presentable socio-political figure.

With the proximity of the Golden Triangle’s opiate production and trade, and the recent methamphetamine explosion (which has also reached rural areas)

Thailand’s harsh and repressive stance in the “war on drugs” has long been characterised by intense military actions against drug production sites, vendors and users.

Whether or not these actions were truly justified by the country’s prohibitionist and repressive strategy, they were also an excellent excuse to send to send military / paramilitary forces on “drug eradication” missions- which might, in some cases, involve physical violence, deportation to army detoxification camps or even death of “suspected dealers” ( 2,274 suspected dealers are said to have been killed in self-defence in a 2003 crackdown on methamphetamine / yaba for instance). The U.N. and human rights activists suspect that hundreds of the reported “self-defence deaths” may have been extrajudicial police / army executions.

A presentable excuse to send an intimidating / repressive military force to politically troubled, potentially separatist areas, without having to officially be accountable for doing so, since this repressive move was really officially motivated by the “war on drugs”. Mitragyna speciosa Kratom use, for instance, is widespread in the South of Thailand, which has a predominantly Muslim population and has lead a separatist insurgency, mostly in the Malay Pattani region…

Yet in recent times, rumours have began circulating, stating that Thailand may soon abolish this largely unsuccessful and unpopular prohibition of Kratom and the Mitragyna speciosa Kratom tree, though the country’s political situation make this evolution rather uncertain.

The most encouraging signs are actually coming from medical instances, and are seemingly motivated by the problems induced by Thai opiate and especially methamphetamine use, which is increasing despite the harsh prohibitionist stance and repressive actions already mentioned.

More recently, Pennapa Sapcharoen, director of the National Institute of Thai Traditional Medicine in Bangkok, announced that Mitragyna speciosa Kratom products could potentially be medically prescribed both to opiate addicts and to patients suffering from depression, while also stressing that further preliminary research would be necessary.

A recognition of Mitragyna speciosa Kratom’s potential as medicine and of its usefulness in treating opiate addiction is quite a change from the vision of Kratom as a dangerous addictive drug, from which users need to be detoxified, portrayed in the previous Thai reports…

Another factor is the more recent, yet ever growing use of amphetamines / methamphetamine (yaba) in South-East Asia, and Thailand in particular (with an estimated 2.75 to 3 million habitual yaba users), which is thought to have overcome use of other substances, expanding outside cities to deep rural areas, taking over and replacing traditional Mitragyna speciosa Kratom use as a stimulant, but with far different and more drastic health consequences…

A social reality which has been said to motivate the Thai government to consider a re-evaluation of Kratom’s potential benefits in order to treat / tamper the widespread use of synthetic stimulants. Kratom products, coming from the leaves of the native Mitragyna speciosa tree, does not contribute to the illegal economy as much as synthetic stimulants, since quite a few traditional users simply pick their own leaves from Mitragyna trees, or buy them in a local market- which does not involve large illegal financial transactions and the violence that comes with illegal, clandestine drug production and trade.

The majority of Thai yaba pills are actually smuggled from Laos or Myanmar/Burma for instance, whereas Kratom is inexpensive, coming from an indigenous plant with little production costs…

A Thai senator, Pinya Chuayplod, also mentioned in a Bangkok Post interview, the possible use of Kratom products to help stimulant users overcome their cravings.

Similarly, a handful of people, in Malaysia and possibly other South-East Asian countries have also begun lobbying their governments to allow medical research on Mitragyna speciosa Kratom, as a potential prescription substance, for pain and (stimulant / opiate) addiction management.

Myanmar (formerly Burma) declared Mitragyna speciosa a controlled narcotic drug under Section 30 (b) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law in a Ministry of Health notice dated 28 January 1993.

In Malaysia, a country which already has some of the harshest drug legislations in the world, mitragynine was made illegal in 2003, and Mitragyna speciosa Kratom leaves in August 2004.

In early March 2006, the Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Mohamed Johari Baharum announced that the Attorney General had been given instructions to expand the Dangerous Drugs Act to make consumption of Mitragyna speciosa Kratom a criminal offense as well, since the prior legal disposition did not cover Kratom consumption.

In January 2007, Malaysia, began moving to further criminalize Mitragyna speciosa Kratom, making it more illegal than less by planning to reclassify it under the “dangerous drugs” law rather than the previous, and less severe, “poisonous substances” laws.


Penalties in Malaysia include fines of up to 10,000 ringgit or jail sentences of up to four years or both.

In June, 2004, Malay authorities organized a four day operation which resulted in the arrest of 15 people and the seizure of over 800 liters of prepared Kratom tea and 245 kilograms of Mitragyna speciosa Kratom leaves in the states of Terengganu, Pahang and Kelantan.

Other operations were conducted in 2003 and 2004, and presumably are ongoing.

As of April 2005, Malaysia has had 99 cases involving Kratom, and 29 people have been charged, but no one has been reported jailed.

Mitragyna speciosa Kratom tree cutting is also in order in Malaysia, yet operations are stalling as opposition to such drastic anti-Kratom policies is expanding, and emphasizes that cutting of Mitragyna speciosa trees harms regional biodiversity.

Australia was another recent country to ban Mitragyna speciosa Kratom.
Several meeting of the National Drugs and Poisons Schedule Committee were held between February 2003 and February 2004 to consider the addiction of mitragynine and Mitragyna speciosa into Schedule 9 of the Standard for the Uniform Scheduling of Drugs and Poisons.

In October 2003, the NDPSC 39th Meeting agreed to schedule mitragynine, and 40th Meeting held in February 2004 agreed to add Mitragyna speciosa Kratom to Schedule 9 as well. Several public comments were received, arguing that Mitragyna speciosa Kratom was relatively safe, and harmless.
These comments also pointed out Kratom’s medical and therapeutic potential.

Yet the Committee focused on the growing sale and promotion of Kratom on the internet, using this argument to highlight the potential problems of Mitragyna speciosa Kratom use. The N.D.P.S.C. then confirmed the decision to schedule Mitragyna speciosa Kratom, and an amended S.U.S.D.P. law went into effect as of January 1st 2005.

A New Zealander on the Committee also suggested that Australia should officially Kratom scheduling to New Zealand, yet this has not yet had any repercussions.

Interest in Mitragyna speciosa Kratom has only recently began to expand beyond its traditional South-East Asian setting, notably due to the internet grapevine, which connects communities of users interested in researching psychoactive substances responsibly, along with the internet importers and vendors which have made the Mitragyna speciosa plant widely available for research and experimentation.

While the future of Kratom’s international legal status is uncertain, it is clear that both vendors and researchers/users have a role to play in spreading accurate information and in calling for a responsible and respectful use of Mitragyna speciosa Kratom.

Despite its clear medical potential (see “medical uses of Kratom” in the “Potential applications and modern uses of Mitragyna speciosa Kratom” section), Mitragyna speciosa has only recently begun to be of interest to western scientific and medical research, and it is clear that much remains to be studied on this plant’s general activity, and potential pharmacological applications.

Kratom possibly being tested soon

Updated: Will Kratom show in drug test?

Looks like things have changed.

Millennium Laboratories, the leading research-based clinical diagnostic company dedicated to improving the lives of people suffering from pain and/or addiction, announced late last month the introduction of a new urine drug test for Kratom detection.

Unlike bath salts and synthetic marijuana, Kratom may still be a little obscure, but many addiction specialists in the United States are already aware of the dangerous effects of the substance. Though currently not a federally scheduled compound, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration considers Kratom a drug of concern, as documented use and abuse of the plant is growing in the country.
The drug is made from the Kratom plant, a tropical tree indigenous to Thailand, Malaysia, other Southeast Asia countries. It comes in a packaging that’s similar to synthetic marijuana, and young people are purchasing them from local tobacco shops and the Internet. Experts say it can be more addictive and dangerous than other illegal drugs.
“Kratom, as well as emerging illegal substances such as bath salts and spice, which were recently added to our test menu, pose a major challenge for clinicians and addiction treatment centers,” said Howard Appel, President of Millennium Laboratories, in a press release. “Our company will continue to be at the forefront among laboratories in offering new testing of illicit substances and dangerous legal consumables, such as Kratom.”
The new Kratom drug test uses Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) technology to detect the presence of the major active alkaloids found in the Kratom leaf. LC-MS/MS technology is highly sensitive and specific, providing a quantitative identification that is unaffected by other drugs or dietary supplements.

Does Kratom have dangers?

Mitragyna speciosa or Kratom is having its fame today. The kratom tree is large tree native to South East Asian countries particularly Thailand and Malaysia. The natives used the leaves of kratom for medicinal purposes such as dealing with pain and treating diarrhea. In rehabilitation, people who are dependents on opiates and morphine are experiencing withdrawal symptoms when they stop taking the drugs. Medical approach was proven to use kratom as an alternative to opium and morphine. It was proven that giving kratom in low dose then gradually lessened until total withdrawal results to milder and safer withdrawal symptoms compared to withdrawal symptoms from morphine and opiates. There are other benefits that kratom claims to provide. They say that kratom is a great stimulant therefore the natives used it as a sexual stimulant, improving and enhancing their sexual activity. It can also create a mild effect for the minds. All of these effects are made possible by the alkaloid contents of kratom such as mitragyne.
The kratom leaves are chewed, smoked and boiled as tea by the natives. They have used the leaves for a long period of time now and no records show that someone had suffered negatively in taking kratom. There are no official records about addiction to kratom but they say that dependence to it is possible. Taking kratom in low doses is safe but ingesting higher dose regularly for a long time may produce undesirable results. The body may develop a tolerance against the alkaloids found in mitragyna, creating a need to increase the dose to achieve the desired effects. There is an overdose of kratom. Some say that an individual may experience hallucinations, nausea, delusion, tremors, coordination problems and restlessness. Daily intake of kratom for a long time may result to skin darkening, aggression, nervousness and constipation. Kratom is not recommended to be use by people having schizophrenia, cardiac, renal, ulcers, hepatic problems, low blood pressure and pregnant women.

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What are the benefits of Kratom?

Kratom has been used for centuries. Today, the health and medical world is giving attention to kratom. Independent studies from different laboratories are being conducted to study the effects of kratom to human consumption. In the studies, kratom contains alkaloids that have effects on the human mind. It has stimulating, depressing and intoxicating effects. Pharmaceuticals are exerting some efforts in creating kratom-based medicines such as topicals and pain relievers. This is very upsetting to us, Pharmaceutical companies have a LOT of say in government issues when it comes to banning Kratom. The leaves are smoked, chewed and prepared as teas by boiling.

Taking kratom in a controlled, low dose certain benefits are said to be acquired. Kratom was used by jungle people to restore their lost energy. They say that kratom can restore energy, making you active and stronger. The natives Thai used the leaves of kratom to treat diarrhea and muscle pain. Others say that it can lower blood pressure suitable for people with hypertension. It also contains a substance called epicatechin, a substance found in dark chocolates that can promote good health. Mitragyna is said to be a good stimulant therefore others use it as sexual enhancer to improve their sexual activity. It is also use to treat people having depressions. Kratom can create a soothing effect, relaxing and calming the mind. They also used kratom to protect them from extreme effects of the sun by stimulating the production of melanin. Some users of kratom say that they use kratom as tea to lose weight for it has effect to the appetite. Definitely, kratom is such a discovery and it has a great future in the world of health that's why the health and drug industry is investing time and money for it.

 

Kratom Resin

WHAT IS KRATOM EXTRACT?

 

We hope to answer the following questions, What is Kratom Extract? How are extracts made? What is actually in kratom extract? There are 3 ways we see Kratom.  We see Kratom as a crushed leaf, in powder form, or the extracted form which is called an extract. For the purpose of this article, the definition of extract in a chemistry sense is to obtain (a substance) from a mixture or material by a chemical or physical process, such as digestion, distillation, the action of a solvent, or mechanical separation. We are going to try and explain what a Kratom extract is since most vendors have some sort of extract on their list of products. For now, The Leaping Leaf extracts solely to enhance plain leaf Kratom so it still very affordable.  You can find these under our Lightly Enhanced Blends section and our Boldly Enhanced Blends sections. If you have ever been to a vitamin or supplement shop, chances are you have seen extracts of some sort. There are lots of plant extracts since so many plants have wonderful medicinal uses. The “extract” that is being pulled from the plant are known as alkaloids and it is these alkaloids that make up the useful part of the plant. Check out our other post with a little info on the Alkaloids that make up Kratom. There are at least 10,000 known alkaloids!  There are about 28 different alkaloids in Kratom (also known as Mitragyna Speciosa), and there is still a lot of studying that needs to be done to fully understand the alkaloids. The geographical region and other variables determine the alkaloids present in the different known Kratom strains.

Used in our FX series

You have probably did your own extraction sometime in your life. Have you ever brewed Coffee or Tea? Then you’ve extracted before. Extraction can be done with water, alcohol (used for Kratom Tincture), and Acetic Acid to name a few.

 

The Alkaloids in Kratom make up only about .5% while the other 99.5% is just filler. To give you an idea of why extract is so strong and can be expensive, if you were to get all the alkaloid out of Kratom, it would take 450kg to make around 2.5kg of pure Kratom alkaloid extract. Note: We aren’t referring to Kratom Resin. We’ll discuss Kratom Resin in the future. While scientists are continually finding new and awesome uses of many Kratom Alkaloids, the Alkaloids the Kratom burners are interested in are are   7-hydroxymitragynine, and Mitragynine. It used to be thought that Mitragynine was the main alkaloid but scientists now believe it to be 7-hydroxymitragynine. Studies have shown the this alkaloid is a WHOPPING 46x more active then mitragynine! 

Believe it or not, the different extraction methods determine which alkaloids are extracted out of the Kratom leaf the best. Using water to extract alkaloids is different from using alcohol to extract alkaloids.

But most people want all the alkaloids to be present, extracts that contain the same amount of ALL the alkaloids in Kratom is known as Full Spectrum Kratom extracts. There are lots of other Katom extracts as well though. These extracts are usually concentrating on certain Alkaloids, not an equal amount of all of them like Full Spectrum Extract. Full Spectrum Extract is basically a more potent form of a kratom leaf but the other extracts that concentrate on only certain alkaloids usually go for the mitragynine or 7-hydroxymitragynine Alkaloids first and foremost.

Most people mix their Kratom extract with plain leaf which creates an "Enhanced Blend" of Kratom. This is our specialty. This makes the extract go much further for your money.

What is 10x extract, 25x extract, 50x extract, and 100x extract?

Have you ever seen a site selling (some number)X extract on a website? It's really freaking confusing isn't it? This number followed by "X" is suppose to be the concentration of the Kratom extract. Most of the misconceptions surrounding kratom extracts are due to this :"X" . Some Kratom vendors tell their customers this "X" means "times" like in math.  So they claim that 1g of 10x kratom extract is 10 times as active as 1 gram of kratom powder. This is incorrect, and this unfortunate mismarketing of kratom extract has led many to decry kratom extracts as ineffective or fraudulent. What this "X" really means is the amount of Kratom leaf it takes to make the extract so as an example, 25g of 10x extract means it took 250g of Kratom Leaf to make that 25g of Kratom extract. So you are clear what this means, 25g of 30x extract takes 750g of Kratom leaf to make. You get the picture now, that is why extract isn't cheap. But, now does that mean this 25g of 30X extract has 30 times more alkaloid in it? The answer is no because the extraction process isn't perfect. The folks that make Kratom extract use all kind of different methods, machine, solvents, etc. Some alkaloids are undoubtedly more extract than others so the "X" really is meaningless, if the extractor used some cheap ole 19th century method in the 30x example(750g), he will not get the same amount of allkaloids as some $300,000 machine doing the extraction. Plus, since each extraction method works better for certain alkaloids then others, you still don't know what you getting.

The other thing you need to remember is one vendor's 15X extract may not be as good or may be better than another vendor's 15X extract. What in the world is the deal with these really high numbers like 100X extract. Be safe and buy a very small amount before wasting your money.

 

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What Makes Kratom work?
What Alkaloids are in Kratom?

Basically the same question put two different ways. So what is tt that makes Kratom such an awesome plant? Kratom leaves are made up of Alkaloids. Each different strains contains diffrent amounts of these alkaloids and each alkaloid has a different role in creating the aroma that Kratom creates. There is still ALOT of studying that needs to be done by scientists to dig deeper into this subject. Here is a list of know alkaloids in Kratom and their potential effect for the aroma.

Ajmalicine (Raubasine): Cerebrocirculant, antiaggregant, anti-adrenergic (at alpha-1), sedative, anticonvulsant, smooth muscle relaxer. Also found in Rauwolfia serpentina.

Akuammigine

Ciliaphylline: antitussive, analgesic. < 1% of total alkaloid content found in Kratom leaf.

Corynantheidine: μ -opioid antagonist, also found in Yohimbe. < 1% of total alkaloid content found in Kratom leaf.

Corynoxeine: Calcium channel blocker. < 1% of total alkaloid content found in Kratom leaf.

Corynoxine A and B: Dopamine mediating anti-locomotives. < 1% of total alkaloid content found in Kratom leaf.

Epicatechin: Antioxidant, antiaggregant, antibacterial, antidiabetic,
antihepatitic, anti-inflammatory, anti-leukemic, antimutagenic, antiperoxidant,
antiviral, potential cancer preventative, alpha-amylase inhibitor. Also found in dark chocolate.

9-Hydroxycorynantheidine: Partial opioid agonist

7-hydroxymitragynine: Analgesic, antitussive, antidiarrheal; primary
psychoactive in Kratom, Roughly 2% of total alkaloid content found in Kratom leaf.

Isomitraphylline: Immunostimulant, anti-leukemic. < 1% of total alkaloid content found in Kratom leaf.

Isomitrafoline: < 1% of total alkaloid content found in Kratom leaf.

Isopteropodine: Immunostimulant

Isorhynchophylline: Immunostimulant. < 1% of total alkaloid content found in Kratom leaf.

Isospeciofoline: < 1% of total alkaloid content found in Kratom leaf.

Mitraciliatine: < 1% of total alkaloid content found in Kratom leaf.

Mitragynine: Indole alkaloid. Analgesic, antitussive, antidiarrheal, adrenergic, antimalarial,
possible psychedelic (5-HT2A) antagonist. Roughly 66% of total alkaloid content found in Kratom leaf.

Mitragynine oxindole B. < 1% of total alkaloid content found in Kratom leaf.

Mitrafoline: < 1% of total alkaloid content found in Kratom leaf.

Mitraphylline: Oxindole alkaloid. Vasodilator, antihypertensive, muscle relaxer, diuretic, antiamnesic, anti-leukemic, possible immunostimulant. <1% of total alkaloid contents in Kratom leaf.

Mitraversine

Paynantheine: Indole alkaloid. Smooth muscle relaxer. 8.6% to 9% of total alkaloid contents in Kratom leaf.

Rhynchophylline: Vasodilator, antihypertensive, calcium channel blocker,
antiaggregant, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, anti-arrhythmic, antithelmintic. < 1% of total alkaloid content found in Kratom leaf.

Speciociliatine: Weak opioid agonist. 0.8% to 1% of total alkaloid content of Kratom leaf, unique to Kratom.

Speciofoline

Speciogynine: Smooth muscle relaxer. 6.6% to 7% of total alkaloid contents of Kratom leaf.

Speciophylline: Indole alkaloid. Anti-leukemic. <1% of total alkaloid contents of Kratom leaf.

Stipulatine

Tetrahydroalstonine: Hypoglycemic, anti-adrenergic (at alpha-2)

Mitragyna speciosa Kratom alkaloid content varies quantitatively from geographical location, and from month to month, at different leaf harvest times, which has lead some teams (Shellard et al. in the 1970s) to conclude that there may be different geographical variants within the same species.

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What is Enhanced Kratom?

Part our our new line of goodies on our website is enhanced Kratom blends! So what is enhanced Kratom? Enhanced Kratom is taking plain leaf Kratom which can be any of the many strains  and adding an extract to this plain leaf Kratom to strengthen the effect.

Kratom Extract

Kratom Extracts are very concentrated forms of the alkaloids in the Kratom leaf derived by extracting these alkaloids and only these alkaloids out of the kratom leaf and leaving all the plant material behind. There are different methods of extraction and different strengths of extracts. The extracts or alkaloids of the Kratom Leaf are what actually gives us the aroma Kratom gives us when burning. Without these alkaloids, Kratom would just be useless.

Enhanced Kratom is a very popular choice for Kratom enthusiasts. It gives us a way to have a more potent Kratom without having to buy very expensive extracts. The Leaping Leaf's enhanced Kratom is phenominal and comes in different strengths because we use different types of extracts. Our Ligthly enhanced Kratom utilizes a Resin extract while our boldly enhanced uses extract from a more advanced extraction process making the extract stronger and therefor making the enhanced Kratom stronger. You can't go wrong with any of The Leaping Leaf's enhanced Kratom!

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Does Kratom Stem and Vein have alkaloids?

So far more than 45 alkaloids have been isolated from Mitragyna speciosa and there is much variation between trees from different locations and some seasonal influence (Shellard et al., 1978).

Kratom Stem and Vein

The biogenesis of all these alkaloids is unknown and it is possible that precursor alkaloids are synthesised in the root and travel upwards through the vasculature. There could be tissue specific modifications of such precursors resulting in different alkaloid patterns in different tissues (Shellard et al., 1978). In other Mitragyna species such as M. Parvifolia it was shown that stem and bark tissue clearly contain different alkaloids from leaf tissues (Shellard and Lala, 1977). It is not clear which alkaloids are predominantly present in S&V of Mitragyna speciosa material and how exactly these alkaloid fractions differ from sieved leaf.
Although total alkaloid levels are lower than in leaf there is supposedly relatively more mitragynine present in S&V. Also levels of some interesting Uncaria alkaloids are thought to be higher. The most predominant one is probably Mitraphylline. Rhynchophylline and Corynantheidine are also frequently mentioned.


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What part of the Kratom leaf is best?

Horned Leaf Kratom

most of the desirable alkaloids are found in the leaf tissue between the veins. Kratom users in Thailand often remove the petiole and bigger centre vein before chewing the leaf. For production of dried leaf powder the whole leaf is harvested and dried. Petioles and centre veins are removed manually and then the dried remainder is grinded and sieved. Because the veins are harder they do not grind well and are sieved out. What remains is mainly soft leaf tissue with some smaller vein fragments.
Vendors usually discarded the removed petiole, midvein and sieved out lateral veins. This material is wrongly termed stem and vein. When total alkaloids content is measured these “leftover” materials have less alkaloid compared to the leaf tissue. Therefore largely removing these tissues results in more alkaloids per gram of powder



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How do I avoid SSS?

Thai Maeng Da

Ah, good question indeed. So, how can we avoid this dreaded Stagnant Strain Syndrome? Well, as we try and explain to many of our customers, your best bet of getting the most out of your Kratom and the strongest aroma possible is by switching up the strains/blends you are burning. Meaning, buy several different strains/blends and put them on a rotation. I know, it's sometimes hard for the folks wanting the energetic aroma to rotate to a less energetic aroma without having setbacks in their daily routine. BUT, it needs to be done, you will appreciate these strains/blends alot more when rotating. Try it out, you won't be dissapointed!

What is SSS?

Red Vein Borneo

Don't bother doing a search, there is no medical explanation or definition of any sort. SSS is a new term, coined by Kratom Connoissuers. It stands for Stagnant Strain Syndrome. The meaning behind it is pretty simple, if you burn the same Kratom strain or blend for a long period of time, you might notice it doesn't seem to have that same potent aroma as it had before, even if you increase your burn amount. This syndrome varies from person to person. Some people can get SSS after a day, some after several days. Some people may not get it at all if they don't burn on a daily basis. Often times, a person might buy a particular Kratom strain from a vendor, find out they like the aroma of that strain and buy more. Only to find out the second order isn't working like the first order. Well, it must be the kratom, right? Not likely, Kratom potency if stored correctly can last much longer then you might think. If you are purchasing your Kratom from a well known vendor that gets business regularly, you don't have to worry about the kratom being bad. For example, theleapingleaf.com buys small quantities of all their kratom strains to ensure they don't "sit on it" for a long time, it's always nice and potent. Most likely the cause of the second go around of a powder, not being as good or aromatic as the first round is because SSS.

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Is Kratom addictive?

Kratom Seeds

The answer is Yes and No and unlike Opiates, withdrawals can very greatly from person to person.. Kratom is not addictive if taken moderately.. Kratom does not affect the same receptors as do narcotics such as Opium and Heroin. Kratom effects the Delta Opoid and only very high doses can lead to effecting the Mu Opiod which is what is effected by such things as Opim and Herioin and where the addiction can start

Alot of Kratom burners burn quite a bit daily in which case it can be addictive Kratom basically has a stimulating . There were reports that Thai laborers that used Kratom daily for a long time developed dark patches on their skin and and an unhealthy appearance.  And, when they stopped taking Kratom, they got all the same withdrawal symptoms as opiates.  While higher doses can provide a person with significant narcotic effects. Some cultures use it to enhance the sexual intercourse and to treat diarrhea. Kratom can be used as a substitute for opium and it is also very efficient in moderating opium addictions. It stops the cravings and moderates the withdrawal because its alkaloids bind to the delta receptors in the brain. It can also be used for detoxification of those addicted to methadone.

some other info
Some reoirst of kratom use involved visualizations and vivid dreams as side effects of the therapy. Some studies suggest that it also could be used for the treatment of depression. One’s mood is determined by the levels of serotonin, dopamine and opiates. Most chemical drugs are related to the levels of serotonin because it does not involve an addiction.
Certain researches have shown that kratom could affect the mood of a person in a positive manner. Kratom can also come in very handy when it comes to the treatment of adult attention deficit disorder because of its stimulating and mood lifting properties.

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What are some side effects of Kratom?

Let's take a look at the known side effects of kratom, it's a pretty short, Kratom is all natural and is in the same family as Coffee and Yohimbe.

Infrequent use and low dosages of kratom usually do not pose any risks or dangers of side effects.

Kratom Bloom and seeds

It has been used for centuries with no particular troubles. Higher doses taken on a regular, daily basis for prolonged periods of time may lead to certain symptoms such as nervousness, darkening of the skin, aggression and constipation. One think I can vouche for 100%. Kratom makes people constipated. What I suggest to get things going, I discussed this with my doctor, try Miralax, it can be taken as often as needed with no side effect and trust me it works. Also adding more oil and fiber to your diet could help as well
Some other cases have included side effects like tremors, loss of libido and nausea. It is easy to develop a tolerance for kratom, so it may lead to an urge for higher dosage over time and, ultimately, dependence.
Sometimes a kratom overdose may occur as well. The symptoms of that condition may include tremor, hallucinations, aggression, nausea, delusions and problems concerning motion coordination.
People who suffer from low blood pressure, renal problems, schizophrenia, ulcers, and hepatic problems as well as pregnant women should avoid using kratom.


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How much Kratom should I take?

Genetic Maeng Da

Ah, a heck of a question with no real definitive answer. The reason is because there are alot of different kratom strains out there. Also, the fact they it is grown in different regions with different soil properties, makes it hard to hit the nail on the head of this question. As a rule of thumb, one should always stay on the safe and responsible side and start with a real low dosage – For the very potent Genetic Maeng Da or Pimps Grade Maeng Da, 1g should be enough. With other strains, start at 2g and work your way up. With 2g of regular Kratom, everybody should be completely safe. So, start with 2g wait a half hour to an hour, and if not enough is happening, take another gram of Kratom. It will not need more than a few trials and you will know very well how much you need to take from which product to achieve the effects desired by you. Sometimes it takes a while to figure out which strains is best for you and which one you should try. Email us for questions on this, we can at least give you a good starting point, info@theleapingleaf.com.


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Can what you eat effect Kratom?

Red Vein Borneo

Can Diet Affect Your Session?

Simple answer? Yes.

They say "you are what you eat", but in this case, what you eat can
affect your "sniffer" when it comes to this plant. Of course, everyone
is different, so these are more guidelines than anything else. Always
make sure that you keep a well balanced diet and seek medical advice
before engaging in any kind of aromatherapy (either with this plant or
any other incense.)
                                                                                                                          
- Your first burn of the day is your most vital. If you want to see
how a particular strain or blend effects you, the absolute best time
to do this is in the morning after a good night's rest. Several even
swear on burning on an empty stomach and then eating a light meal when
the smoke starts to fill the room. My personal experiences mirror
these sentiments. My burner works best in the morning and right before
breakfast.

- Stay away from carbs or seafood right before a burn. It has been
noted from several customers that Fish Oil (either the supplement or
from the actual fish itself) has a profound effect on the length and
strength of a burn. Since I usually wait 2 hours after I take my
vitamins (with a light lunch), I can't say definitively whether or not
this had made my sessions suffer. The carbs, however, is another
matter. Bread, pasta, potatoes, and even carrots, will have a
substantial effect on my sessions. If I am going to consume a meal
that is heavily laden with carbs, I usually put off a burn for several
hours (or the next day if its dinner.) If you find that your sniffer
just can't seem to get a trace of smoke or if you find that your burns
aren't consistent, you might want to consider keeping a journal and
marking down the time of your burns as well as anything you've eaten
during the course of the day. If you find a pattern, you know what to
tweak in your diet in order to maximize the benefits of your session.
Many connoisseurs keep a journal and recommend this practice to
beginners.

If you have sugar issues and you need to eat small meals throughout
the day to keep your sugar balanced, it has been recommended that you
burn two hours after consuming anything. These recommendations come
from past customers.

- Be careful on the foods you do consume. Some of them are
potentiators and can intensify a session. I won't go into all of them.
The research is out there for anyone who is curious enough to read
about it. I will say that grapefruit has long been known to be a
potentiator for several things, and not just Kratom. Several
prescribed medications have warned against the consumption of
grapefruit because of what it does. Please make sure you talk to your
doctor (if you are on medication) about the foods and vitamins that
you should avoid. Your pharmacist should also have the answers you
seek regarding food and medication.

- Dairy will stop a current session in its tracks! If you find that
you are having an adverse reaction to a particular strain or blend and
need to clear out your burner before engaging in another session,
anything dairy should do the trick. Yogurt, cheese, milk, even ice
cream will kill your session. However, if you choose this method, it
has been recommended (by several customers) to wait two hours before
starting another session.

Kratom Aromatherapy sessions are a fragile balancing act to begin
with. Hopefully this entry clears up any questions some of you
beginners might have. If you have any others, feel free to email us at
Leaping Leaf and one of our professional and knowledgeable customer
service reps will answer them in a timely manner.

Is Kratom safe? Is it  effective?

Here is another good article we found.

Is medicinal herb kratom a safe and effective alternative for treating pain, anxiety and depression?

White Horn Kratom

(NaturalNews) Mitragyna speciosa, also known as "kratom," is a plant native to the rainforests of Southeast Asia that has long been used in traditional herbal medicine to treat pain, boost energy, alleviate anxiety and depression symptoms, and promote feelings of wellness and happiness. But because the plant allegedly exhibits opioid-like activity, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has placed it on its infamous Drugs and Chemicals of Concern list, which indicates that the agency may eventually try to ban kratom in the U.S.

Kratom's users swear by its medicinal properties, insisting that it is safer and more effective than prescription painkillers like Vicodin (acetaminophen and hydrocodone) and morphine, and far less addictive. But the DEA is treating kratom as if it was a highly-dangerous drug capable of causing severe harm. So is kratom safe and effective, or is it dangerous?

Based on the limited data that is available on kratom, it appears as though the actual plant extract itself is basically safe, and that the DEA is simply overreacting. Even in its own warning, the DEA notes that the main problems associated with kratom have to do with it being abused, and typically in conjunction with other chemicals and additives. By itself, in other words, there appears to be no legitimate evidence showing that kratom is in any way dangerous.

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Is Kratom effective for Chronic Pain?

Great question. Check out this article from naturalnews.com. A 1988 study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology found that two of the more than 25 naturally-occurring alkaloids found in kratom leaves -- mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine -- exhibit opiate-like effects in animals. And yet these two compounds merely act on opiate receptors, and in a much less severe way than, say, morphine, which is highly addictive and potentially deadly (http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com).

On the other hand, kratom users say the herb helps them live vibrant, pain-free lives without causing any harmful side effects. And most reports, though anecdotal, claim that any potential addiction to kratom is mild and easily mitigated. So who are we to trust, actual users or the DEA?

Unless it can be proven, without a doubt, that kratom is in any way dangerous, the federal government has no business trying to ban it. And even then, caution must be taken to ensure that kratom does not go the way of marijuana, which continues to remain an illegal, controlled substance despite the fact that it is a proven medicinal herb with little or no negative side effects.

Kratom has already been banned in Indiana, but it remains legal in the other 49 U.S. states. And in the interests of preserving health freedom for the thousands of kratom users that choose of their own free will to use this herb as treatment, it is important to be on the lookout for any legislation that might threaten to outlaw this natural medicine.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.naturalnews.com
http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drugs_concern/kratom.htm


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What is the difference between Red Vein, White Vein, and Green Vein Kratom?



Green Vein Kratom

White Vein Kratom

Red Vein Kratom

White, Green, Red? What you need to know on the strains. - by DMF

Kratom aromatherapy sessions are a fragile thing to begin with. But if
you are new to the scene and are just learning the ropes, there is a
LOT of information out there and the majority of it is confusing. For
one, you have all these options in front of you and its really hard to
choose a strain if you have no idea what to expect or what each strain
helps you with. The color indicated is given to the vein of the leaf
before being made into the incense powder.

White Strains: These are your energetic strains. People who have
exhaustion issues or if they're on medication that makes them drowsy, a white strain aromatherapy session might be beneficial to them. Some aromatherapists say that these particular strains are the "uptight"ones and anyone who suffers from jitters (that caffeine would bring) should probably either stay away from these or find a blend that takes
the edge off the smoke.

Green Strains: These are your strains that are in the middle of the road. They are neither too energetic or too sedating. Several
aromatherapists use green strains to extend the life of a session. It is also noted that if you are becoming sensitive to either a white strain or red strain, blending it with a green strain gets your session back on track. Many blends have green strains in them simply because of the synergy involved. Green usually blends well with everything.

Red Strains: These are your sedating strains. It should also be noted that anyone who is a chronic pain sufferer or insomnia sufferer, finds red strain aromatherapy sessions beneficial. While although it has been said that lower gram sessions are more stimulating, it various from person to person and any connoisseur describes the red strains as relaxing and sedating.

Several vendors give each strain their own personal name, but they all fall into these three categories. And as it has been said in a previous entry, several vendors are making blends and calling it a  single strain. Please know what you are burning and ask your vendor if they follow these misleading practices.


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How can you increase the length of your Kratom burn?

Green Malay

Have you ever heard of Green Malay Kratom? Well Green Malay is a green veined Kratom leaf and it has very unique properties that allow it's effects (aroma) to last longer than other strains. Good Green Malay lasts a long time (some say it has "long legs"). it's not too energetic and not too sedative so you can make your day a long day at work or a relaxing day in front of the TV.

Did you know?

The true prize in Green Malay is the fact that it has the ability to lengthen other burn as well! Many people do not know this. Next time you are going to burn your favorite strain or awesome blend like our platinum White, add a couple grams of Green Malay too it and experience a longer lasting aroma!

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Will Kratom show in a drug test?

Ah, this is a fantastic question I have gotten a few times from customers. With all the attention Kratom is getting, will they start testing for it? Does Kratom show up as an opiate in a urine screen? Technically Kratom could show in a drug screen but only if mitragynine is being tested for. It doesn’t matter whether you are being tested for a new job, at work, in school, on probation or parole, or even for the Armed Forces; they will not test you for kratom.Since kratom is legal in all North America and many European Union countries, there is no reason to test for it.

So, quite simply, the answer is NO because Kratom (mitragynine) is not tested for.



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Can kratom usage cause a false positive result on a drug test?

This is another question a few folks have about Kratom. Simply said, It will not.
Both the alkaloids and metabolites of kratom are chemically different from anything being tested for in a standard drug test (like NIDA5) or even in an extended (10-panel) urine test. It is not possible that mitragynine and the other kratom alkaloids could cause a false positive for morphine, methadone or anything else that is screened in these tests.

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