KRATOM (Mitragyna speciosa) is a botanical product made from the leaves of a plant that is indigenous to Southeast Asia, where it has been used for centuries. As awareness of it has developed around the world, interest in kratom’s psychoactive properties have grown.
In the U.S., kratom is categorized as a novel psychoactive substance, or NPS, because unlike virtually any other psychoactive compound it can be both a central nervous system stimulant and depressant, depending on the dosage. At low doses of less than 5 grams it is a stimulant; at doses above 5 grams it produces depressant and analgesic effects like an opioid. It is sold as a powder, in capsules, as a liquid concentrate, and it is infused into chocolates.
The key psychoactive compound in kratom was isolated in 1923-1924, yet prior to 2000 it was rarely written about in medical contexts; these days it’s mentioned in medical literature some 1,000 times each year.
Read more at US News.