Elevated 7-Hydroxymitragynine Levels Found in Products Misbranded as Kratom

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology
• Analytical Chemistry
• Public Health

Background:

• Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is traditionally used for its energizing and analgesic effects.
• Kratom use is increasing in North America, with millions of consumers.
• New products labeled as kratom extract contain high concentrations of 7-hydroxymitragynine, a kratom alkaloid derivative.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate commercial products labeled as containing 7-hydroxymitragynine.
• To determine the presence and concentration of 7-hydroxymitragynine in these products.
• To assess if these products align with authentic kratom leaf composition.

Main Methods:

• High-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection (HPLC-DAD) was used.
• AOAC Official MethodSM 2017.14 was employed for quantification.
• Chromatographic profiles were compared to authentic kratom leaf.

Main Results:

• Products contained 7-hydroxymitragynine at 22-75 mg/g, significantly higher than expected.
• Mitragynine levels were lower than typically found in kratom.
• Chromatographic profiles were inconsistent with kratom leaf, showing high 7-hydroxymitragynine and lacking other alkaloids.

Conclusions:

• The products contain high levels of 7-hydroxymitragynine, achievable only through synthetic means.
• These products are synthetic derivatives, not authentic kratom extracts.
• These unapproved new drugs pose a significant public health risk due to misrepresentation and potential dangers.