Kratom: harmless herbal supplement or dangerous drug?

What is it?
Kratom is a powdered herbal supplement derived from the leaves of a tropical evergreen tree that is native to Southeast Asia and is usually taken orally but can also be brewed into teas.
It is commonly used by consumers as an alternative medicine to self-treat opioid addiction and chronic pain.  The leaves contain two compounds, mitragynine and 7-a-hydroxymitragyine, which interact with various receptors in the brain.
At low doses the drug acts similar to a stimulant; however, at higher doses more like an opioid.   Continue reading ...
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Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - August 17, 2018 Category: General Medicine Authors: < a href="https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/post-author/dennis-wichern" rel="tag" > Dennis Wichern < /a > Tags: Meds Emergency Medicine Medications Source Type: blogs