The Kratom alkaloids Mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine are the most well known, since they are the alkaloids which are primarily responsible for Kratom’s opioid effects. However, Kratom actually has dozens of other alkaloids, in-fact over 40 different alkaloids according to a scientific study, and this article describes the benefits and properties of each of them.
Mitragynine and 7-Hydroxymitragynine
Before diving into the other Kratom alkaloids, it is important to note that Mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine have numerous beneficial properties including being analgesic (painkilling), antitussive (cough suppressing), anti-diarrheal, and antimalarial. Also notably, Mitragynine accounts for 66% of the total alkaloid content of Kratom, while 7-hydroxymitragynine accounts for 2%, although 7-hydroxymitragynine has 30X more potent opioid effects than Mitragynine.
Paynantheine
Paynantheine is one of the more abundant alkaloids in Kratom, and accounts for roughly 9% of Kratom’s total alkaloid content. Paynantheine is a smooth muscle relaxer, contributing to Kratom’s pain relieving and relaxing effects.
Epicatechin
Epicatechin is one of the more miraculous alkaloids within Kratom, and it has numerous properties including being an antioxidant, antiaggregant (prevents blood clots), antibacterial, antiviral, immunostimulant, anti diabetic, anti hepatitic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-Cancer and anti-mutagenic.
Speciociliatine
Speciociliatine accounts for 1% of the total alkaloid content of Kratom, and although it is not as well known, it is a weak opioid agonist.
Speciogynine
Speciogynine is another one of the more abundant alkaloids in Kratom, and accounts for roughly 7% of Kratom’s total alkaloid content. It is a smooth muscle relaxer, and therefore can contribute to Kratom’s pain relieving and relaxing effects.
Mitraphylline, Speciophylline, Isomitraphylline,
Mitraphylline is one of the most interesting Kratom alkaloids, since scientific studies have proven it has anti-Cancer effects. Aside from that, Mitraphylline is a vasodilator, antihypertensive (lowers blood pressure), a muscle relaxer, and immunostimulant. Notably, Mitraphylline is also found in Cat’s Claw.
The closely related alkaloids Speciophylline and Isomitraphylline are also found in Kratom, and they have possible immunostimulant and anti-Cancer properties like Mitraphylline, and are also found in Cat’s Claw.
Rhynchophylline
Rhynchophylline is yet another alkaloid that Kratom has in common with Cat’s Claw, and it has numerous beneficial properties including being fever reducing, anti-inflammatory, can treat parasitic worms, and is a vasodilator and lowers blood pressure.
Isorhynchophylline
Isorhynchophylline has immunostimulant and neuroprotective properties, and lowers blood pressure.
Ajmalicine, Corynantheidine
Ajmalicine is an approved antihypertensive (lowering blood pressure) drug, and it is naturally found in Kratom, although it was originally discovered within Rauvolfia.
Also, the related alkaloid Corynantheidine is found in Kratom, and it has similar properties.
Akuammigine
Akuammigine is a primary alkaloid found in Akaumma seeds, but is also apparently in Kratom, and it provides pain relieving and antimalarial effects, similar to Mitragynine.
Speciofoline
Speciofoline has pain relieving and cough suppressing qualities, and was patented as a medicine which could treat opioid withdrawal, before being discovered to exist naturally in Kratom.
Corynoxine A & B
Corynoxine A & B, which are two separate alkaloids, have sedative effects, and there is research that suggests that these alkaloids help with Parkinson’s.
Ciliaphylline, 9-Hydroxycorynantheidine
Both of these alkaloids have weak opioid effects, giving them analgesic and cough suppressing qualities.
Isopteropodine
Isopteropodine is an immunostimulant and an antimicrobial that is found naturally within Kratom.
Corynoxeine, Isomitrafoline, Isospeciofoline, Mitraciliatine, Mitragynine oxindole B, Mitrafoline, Mitraversine, Stipulatine, Tetrahydroalstonine, Pinoresinol, 7-Hydroxyspeciociliatine, 3-Dehydromitragynine, 9-Methoxymitralactonine, Tetrahydromitragynine, Mitralactonine, Mitralactonal, Mitrasulgyline, Mitrasulgynine, Corynantheidaline
These 19 alkaloids are known to exist in Kratom, but they have not been studied much yet, so little is known about them. This obviously presents a major opportunity for researchers to discover new drugs and additional health benefits of Kratom.
Aside from the 19 alkaloids in Kratom that still need to be studied, even alkaloids in Kratom that have been studied to an extent still need much more research in order to ascertain their full benefits, including Mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine.
Further, it seems that every year more Kratom alkaloids are being discovered, so the almost 40 alkaloids referenced in this article may not be all of the Kratom alkaloids.
Zooming out, studying and understanding the full alkaloid composition of Kratom truly reveals that Kratom is a miracle herb. Collectively, Kratom’s alkaloids provide pain relief, smooth muscle relaxation, stress relief, anti-anxiety, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, anti parasitic worms, immunostimulant, anti-Cancer, neuroprotective, antihypertensive, antihepatitic, antiaggregant, and antidiabetic effects, and considering all of the alkaloids that have yet to been studied, Kratom may have even more properties than the incredible list compiled here.