There are a lot of herbal treatments available nowadays but one of the most popular of these supplements is Kratom, a botanic that is taking the world by storm. Kratom is a plant found growing in Southeast Asian countries, namely Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Indonesia, and Myanmar. Kratom has been known for its historical use in traditional oriental medicine, as well as use by the natives who chewed on the leaves of this plant to treat a series of ailments.
The leaves of the Kratom plant are chock full of a number of different alkaloids that have numerous properties that make it extremely beneficial for human health. Mitragynine is one of the major chemical components of Kratom along with 7-Hydroxymitragynine and is found in the largest proportions.
Mitragynine has properties that allow it to act as an anti-diarrheal and anti-malarial supplement. It can also help with the regulation of adrenaline production in the brain and enhance the body’s ability to fight off the onset of a common cough and can even help treat it. 7-Hydroxymitragynine also has similar properties, and also acts as an analgesic. It is the main psychoactive agent present in Kratom.
Numerous other alkaloids are also present in very small quantities in Kratom, such as Mitraphylline, Rhynchophylline, Paynantheine, and Speciogynine, which have the properties of a vasodilator and can help relax the muscles and reduce pain. Mitraphylline also has auxiliary effects as an immune stimulant, along with Isomitraphylline and Isopteropodine, and can also help in preventing hypertension and memory loss.
Rhynchophylline also has properties as an anti-hypertensive, as well as those of an active calcium channel blocker (also a property displayed by Corynoxeine), an anti-inflammatory, a muscle relaxant and can also help to avoid or treat arrhythmia, among numerous other purposes. Ajmalicine is the alkaloid that allows Kratom to act as a sedative and can also help to prevent spasms and convulsions and can act as an analgesic.
Speciociliatine and Corynantheidine act as an opioid agonist and opioid antagonist respectively. These are the alkaloids that activate the opioid receptors in the brain, giving the user effects similar to those experienced with opioids (opioid agonist), and trigger the withdrawal symptoms of the opioid receptors (opioid antagonist) respectively.
Epicatechin also offers anti-leukemic, hypoglycemic, anti-viral, anti-oxidant, anti-peroxidant, and anti-bacterial effects among many others. There are numerous other alkaloids with a variety of similar effects. These alkaloids make Kratom a great way to treat ailments that can be debilitating, such as chronic pains, depression, anxiety, digestive problems, insomnia, and many others, that can impair your day-to-day function, so you can maintain the best quality of life.
Because of these amazing benefits that Kratom can provide, it is widely and largely freely available across the United States and the rest of the world. While products may vary based on the vendor, the most common Kratom products available are Kratom powder, Kratom capsules, and liquid Kratom extract. Some vendors also offer enhanced strains of Kratom, products made from Kratom stem and vein alone, Kratom tinctures and resins.
Different strains of Kratom have varying alkaloid content, with some strains containing higher quantities of certain alkaloids making the properties displayed by that alkaloid the more prominent effect. The strains are largely determined and categorized accordingly to the place of origin of that Kratom plant with its specific alkaloid content.
The alkaloid content can sometimes be affected by the climatic conditions and soil quality and make-up of that particular area, though many of the properties can be passed on genetically. That is why most of the strains available in the market now are grown in Indonesia and more specifically the island of Borneo which is equidistant from the mainland of both Thailand and Malaysia, making the soil quality and climatic conditions similar.
Borneo strains originate from Borneo, as well as Bali Kratom, which is named after the port from which it’s largely exported. Maeng Da Kratom, Thai Kratom, Malay Kratom, and Borneo Kratom are also other commonly found strains. Many trusted vendors offer sample packs and variety packs that sell smaller quantities of different strains of Kratom powder so you can test the strains to find the one that suits your needs.
