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Papers of the Week


Papers: 3 Sep 2022 - 9 Sep 2022

RESEARCH TYPE:
Psychology


2022 Sep


Psychiatr Clin North Am


45


3

Kratom: Substance of Abuse or Therapeutic Plant?

Authors

Gorelick DA
Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2022 Sep; 45(3):415-430.
PMID: 36055730.

Abstract

Kratom is the common term for Mitragyna speciosa and its products. Its major active compounds are mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine. An estimated 2.1 million US residents used kratom in 2020, as a "legal high" and self-medication for pain, opioid withdrawal, and other conditions. Up to 20% of US kratom users report symptoms consistent with kratom use disorder. Kratom use is associated with medical toxicity and death. Causality is difficult to prove as almost all cases involve other psychoactive substances. Daily, high-dose use may result in kratom use disorder and opioid-like withdrawal on cessation of use. These are best treated with buprenorphine.