November 24, 2022 by Margie Navarro
Ingredient Spotlight: Kratom (Mitragyna)
Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa): One of the Most Versatile Herbs
A somewhat lesser-known herb rooted in Southeast Asian medicine that is frequently co-marketed with cannabis products is kratom. Kratom has a wide variety of medicinal applications loosely categorized by ‘strain.’ The concept of strains in kratom is a bit of a misnomer– the different colors in the veins of the leaves correspond to the maturity of the leaves at the time of harvesting and indicate which alkaloids are more prominent at that growth stage. The simplified spectrum, in order from more energizing to more sedating, runs from white to green to yellow to red.
In traditional medicine terms, kratom relieves pain (blocks reception and counters inflammation), calms ‘Shen’/mind (both anti-anxiety/sedative and mild anti-depressive), astringes ‘Lung Qi’ (stops cough), and astringes the Large Intestine (stops diarrhea) [1]. It is a partial opioid agonist – this explains why it provides a safer alternative to opioids. It also acts on the serotonin receptors in the brain explaining other mental-emotional benefits [2].
Anecdotally, I have found particularly the more sedating strains helpful for patients who are seeking acupuncture treatment for a sensitive area or injury. They can take a custom kratom blend 30-60 minutes before their appointment to facilitate a deeper and more relaxing experience. I’m documenting this phenomenon to publish a case series on my findings in the future! This is the dosing and preparation method I use for both powder and crushed leaf forms of kratom:
-> 1-5 grams = 1 dose; 1 tsp powder = 3 grams
-> Brewing in a cup or French press: let steep for 20 minutes
-> For cold brew: put in a mason jar and refrigerate for 12-48 hours
-> Always add an acid while steeping (juice from half a lemon, lime or apple cider vinegar) to help extract the medicinal compounds
The acid also has the added benefit of masking some of the bitterness that you are sure to notice when you first try kratom! The good news is that taste can be acquired once your body-mind associates the substance with positive benefits [3].
Growing Conditions: Kratom leaves are harvested from trees that can grow up to 100 feet tall and are native to Southeast Asia. They can be grown in other subtropical and tropical climates, but the size of the trees ideally warrant outdoor growth.
Harvest Recommendations: The best time to harvest the leaves, to maximize the active constituents, is right before they drop from the tree.
– Margie Navarro, herbalist & acupuncturist
References:
[1] Tierra, M. (2017). Kratom: Uses, Dosage, Administration, and Contraindications. Planet Herbs. https://planetherbs.com/blogs/michaels-blogs/kratom-uses-dosage-administration-and-contraindications/
[2] Buckhalter, S., Soubeyrand, E., Ferrone, S., Rasmussen, D. J., Manduca, J. D., Al-Abdul-Wahid, M. S., Frie, J. A., Khokhar, J. Y., Akhtar, T. A., & Perreault, M. L. (2021). The Antidepressant-Like and Analgesic Effects of Kratom Alkaloids are accompanied by Changes in Low Frequency Oscillations but not ΔFosB Accumulation. Frontiers in pharmacology, 12, 696461. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2021.696461
[3] Pollan, Michael. This Is Your Mind On Plants. New York, NY, Penguin Press, 2021