The drug class that Kratom is in is opioid and the kratom leaves contain two major psychoactive ingredients (mitragynine and 7-hydroxymytragynine).
The Kratom leaves are crushed and then smoked, brewed with tea, or placed into gel capsules.
The active ingredient in kratom is mitragynine which is an indole-based alkaloid and the most abundant active alkaloid in the Southeast Asian plant Mitragyna speciosa.
Kratom also known as mitragyna speciosa is a tropical evergreen tree in the coffee family native to Southeast Asia.
It is indigenous to Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Papua New Guinea, where it has been used in herbal medicine since at least the 19th century.
Potential kratom health benefits include increased energy, euphoria, and pain relief.
In one 2016 study of 8,000 kratom users, individuals self-reported an improvement in acute and chronic pain and mood disorders like anxiety and depression.
While some research suggests that kratom may help relieve some of the symptoms of depression, scientists are not yet sure that it is effective.
It also carries some severe risks that a person should be aware of before using it.
Kratom is an herbal extract from an evergreen tree called Mitragyna speciosa.
While kratom is most commonly known for its affinity to opioid receptors, it also has affinity to serotonin and dopamine receptors, signaling its potential for treating depression, anxiety, and psychosis.