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What is Kratom?
Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is
a medicinal leaf taken from a large tree in the Rubiaceae family found
in Southeast Asia. Dutch colonial botanist Pieter Korthals was the
first to document it. It is in the same family as coffee and Psychotria
viridis which is a psychoactive plant. Mitragyna genus species are
used medicinally in Africa.
Kratom is a psychoactive plant
and traditionally used in Thailand and Malaysia. It was most commonly
chewed by workers or manual laborers looking for a numbing, stimulating
effect.
Kratom contains many alkaloids
including 7-hydroxymitragynine (currently considered to be the main
active chemical in the plant), mitraphylline, and mitragynine.
Kratom is a unique plant in
that when used at smaller amounts a stimulating effect is experienced
but when a large amount is taken a dream like, pain killer effect
is felt.
Kratom has been used for recreational
purposes, for energy increase, to alleviate pain and discomfort
for certain ailments such as Fibromyalgia. It's also been used with
success to lean people off harmful, addicting drugs such as opiates.
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