research and studies

These are posts for research, studies, peer reviewed papers.

research and studies

Read SSDP’s full statement on 7-OH scheduling

Quotes from SSDP’s official statement: “The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is recommending that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) classify 7-hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH, as a Schedule I controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). The Department of Health & Human Services sent a press release this past Tuesday, July 25, that the FDA is taking steps to restrict 7-OH products.”“SSDP strongly opposes the proposed federal scheduling of 7-Hydroxy-Mitragynine, or 7-OH — a naturally occurring compound found in kratom.““This proposed scheduling reflects outdated thinking that has failed our generation before. It undermines harm reduction, ignores real-world data, and sends a dangerous message: that consumer voices and lived experiences don’t matter.“ Source: SSDP (Students for Sensible Drug Policy)🔗 Read the full article here

research and studies

Evaluation of the rewarding effects of mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine in an intracranial self-stimulation procedure in male and female rats

Source: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7542979 Abstract Background Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa Korth.) has been used in Southeast Asia for hundreds of years to increase energy, for relaxation, and to diminish opioid withdrawal. Kratom use has recently spread to Western countries. Kratom could potentially be used for the treatment of opioid withdrawal and pain, but more insight is needed into its abuse potential. Therefore, we investigated the rewarding properties of the primary kratom alkaloid mitragynine and its active metabolite 7-hydroxymitragynine, and morphine as a reference drug in male and female rats. These compounds have agonist activity at mu-opioid receptors. read the full study herehttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7542979

research and studies

7-Hydroxymitragynine Is an Active Metabolite of Mitragynine and a Key Mediator of Its Analgesic Effect

Source: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6598159 Mitragyna speciosa, more commonly known as kratom, is a plant native to Southeast Asia, the leaves of which have been used traditionally as a stimulant, analgesic, and treatment for opioid addiction. Recently, growing use of the plant in the United States and concerns that kratom represents an uncontrolled drug with potential abuse liability, have highlighted the need for more careful study of its pharmacological activity. The major active alkaloid found in kratom, mitragynine, has been reported to have opioid agonist and analgesic activity in vitro and in animal models, consistent with the purported effects of kratom leaf in humans. However, preliminary research has provided some evidence that mitragynine and related compounds may act as atypical opioid agonists, inducing therapeutic effects such as analgesia, while limiting the negative side effects typical of classical opioids. Here we report evidence that an active metabolite plays an important role in mediating the analgesic effects of mitragynine. We find that mitragynine is converted in vitro in both mouse and human liver preparations to the much more potent mu-opioid receptor agonist 7-hydroxymitragynine and that this conversion is mediated by cytochrome P450 3A isoforms. Further, we show that 7-hydroxymitragynine is formed from mitragynine in mice and that brain concentrations of this metabolite are sufficient to explain most or all of the opioid-receptor-mediated analgesic activity of mitragynine. At the same time, mitragynine is found in the brains of mice at very high concentrations relative to its opioid receptor binding affinity, suggesting that it does not directly activate opioid receptors. The results presented here provide a metabolism-dependent mechanism for the analgesic effects of mitragynine and clarify the importance of route of administration for determining the activity of this compound. Further, they raise important questions about the interpretation of existing data on mitragynine and highlight critical areas for further research in animals and humans. read full study herehttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6598159

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