An Introduction to Kratom…
Detox Doctor is excited to bring the world of Kratom to Wichita! Kratom has been around for hundreds of years but only recently has made it’s way into America from Southeast Asia…
A Kratom Tree
Kratom, known also by its Latin name, Mitragyna speciosa, is a moderately tall tree (12 to 50ft) and is related to the coffee tree. These trees grow in tropical and sub-tropical areas of Southeast Asia, primarily in Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia. In the last decade, an increasing number of researchers and herbal enthusiasts have gained access to this amazing plant, and as a result, our knowledge of it has increased greatly. Now the rest of the world is beginning to learn what Asia has known for centuries: that Kratom is a truly unique plant like no other in the world.
A Kratom leaf
While Kratom is a tree, most people know only about the trees’ leaves. The deep green leaves, around 7 inches long and 4 inches wide, are continuously shed by the tree throughout the year. These leaves have been a part of the culture of Southeast Asia for hundreds of years if not longer. 70% of the population has been estimated to use the plant daily.
Many laborers and farmers in Thailand will chew fresh leaves as a way to enhance their productivity, work longer, and work harder while maintaining a positive mindset. Thai folk medicine would prescribe Kratom as a remedy for gastro-intestinal distress, diarrhea, and congestion. In addition, as early as 1897, Kratom was proposed as a potential opium substitute by H. Ridley. More recently, Dr. Mustafa Ali Mohd of Universiti Malaya has suggested Kratom as a safer, less addictive and less toxic alternative to methodone.
Powdered Kratom Leaves
Kratom users most often prefer to chew fresh Kratom leaves. While fresh leaves are most common, users will also ingest powdered Kratom, chased by a hot drink such as coffee. Many users also boil a Kratom and water mixture down into a resin which is then mixed with flower and balled-up until ingested. In Malaysia, where it is called “Ketum”, it is most frequently boiled in water to make Kratom tea, cooled, and then sold from roadside stands. Though significantly less common, Malaysian papers describe accounts where Malaysian Kratom users roll crushed Kratom in tobacco and smoke it or where is is mixed with lime and other plants and chewed like a betel nut.
When ingested in this manner it is believed that Kratom has two somewhat contradictory effects. It has been found that the effects of Kratom depend on the amount of Kratom the subjects ingested, with smaller amounts resulting in a stimulating effect like caffeine, and larger amounts resulting in a sedating effect like an opiate. Kratom has been found to contain over 25 different chemicals (called alkaloids) that create this effect. Of these alkaloids, mitragynine, is believed to contribute to the stimulating effects of Kratom while 7-hydroxmitragine is believed to be the primary alkaloid responsible for the sedating effects. Like most plants, however, all the alkaloids are thought to contribute in their own way.
Kratom Use
When buying Kratom, be aware that there are many different types ans strains that can come from many different suppliers. Each time you purchase Kratom from Detox Doctor, or any other dealer in Wichita, keep in mind that it is not going to be exactly the same as the batch you had before, so to be on the safe side, always start with a low dose and work your way up. If you are new to the world of Kratom, please read our Guide to Safe Usage of Kratom…
*KRATOM SHOULD NOT BE MISUSED!
** Statements on this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Use caution when operating heavy machinery or a vehicle as Kratom may cause drowsiness. Pregnant or nursing women should not use Kratom. Please consult a physician before taking any ethnobotanicals on this website. Not intended for anyone under 18 years of age.*