General

Scientists: Mitragynine makes mice dumber. Also scientists: Mitragynine makes rats smarter

Last week we told you about a study published in September 2021 that showed cognitive impairment in high-dose mitragynine (MG), the main alkaloid in kratom. The study was also the subject of Kratom Science Journal Club #26. Researchers discovered that very high doses of MG, like THC and morphine, attach to CB1 receptors and cause …

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Interview with Dr. Lance McMahon, Chair of Dept of Pharmacodynamics, UF College of Pharmacy

Dr. Lance McMahon is Chair of the Department of Pharmacodynamics at University of Florida College of Pharmacy. Dr. McMahon is involved in pioneering kratom research that looks at the various kratom alkaloids, how they function on our brain receptors, and how that creates kratom’s complex effects on our bio. We talk about this research, where …

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Study: High-Dose Mitragynine Interacts with Cannabinoid Receptor to Impair Cognitive Functioning

A comprehensive and detailed study in mice from University of Science, Malaysia revealed mitragynine in very high doses is an agonist (binds to and activates) cannabinoid receptor Type 1 (CB1). Mice administered with high-dose mitragynine demonstrated similar reward-seeking behavior and cognitive impairment as mice administered with morphine and THC. Mice that received high-dose mitragynine, morphine, …

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Kratom Companies Involved in Civil Forfeiture

Pittsburgh, PA A civil forfeiture action filed in Pittsburgh’s U.S. District Court spells bad news for several kratom companies across the country.  The companies in question: Coastline Kratom, Kratom Crazy, and Best Kratom, are all ceasing operations, effective immediately. Two of the companies, Coastline Kratom and Kratom Crazy, are sister companies, previously owned by a …

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Interview with Representatives of PPHI, an Indonesian Farmers’ Co-op

Note: This content is the result of (1) Brian Gallagher’s interview with Mr. Suhairi Ery, Daily Chairman of PPHI and kratom farmer Mr. Jamaluddin Junaid, translated by Mr. Fadli Ashari, (2) Correspondence between Mr. Ashari and Brian Gallagher via email. (3) Questions written by both Brian Gallagher and Mr. Ashari and agreed upon before the …

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Let’s look at the possibility of international controls on kratom

You are strongly encouraged to take the time to read this entire document, then submit a polite comment explaining your kratom story and asking the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to please keep kratom legal. You have until August 9, 2021. Please select the option to receive a confirmation email and tracking number …

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House Appropriations Committee bill HR4502 could direct HHS to Keep Kratom Legal

On July 20, the House Committee on Appropriations released summaries of seven appropriations bills for fiscal year 2022, which runs from October 1, 2021 to September 30, 2022. One of the bills, HR4502 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies funding bill, includes a report, 117-96, that includes language that would direct the …

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Combining traditional plant medicine with modern medical technology

A pharmacologist today may regard traditional and plant medicine as primitive, and may entirely disregard thousands of years of use and thousands of modern-day testimonies of positive outcomes because it has not been through the rigors of hard science. On the other hand, the massive spread of anti-science misinformation has cast sometimes unreasonable doubt on …

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