Coonan Erin, Tatum William
Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA.
Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA.
Epilepsy Behav. 2021 Apr;117:107882. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2021.107882. Epub 2021 Mar 6.
Illicit drugs are used to produce a sense of euphoria in the user. Like marijuana, kratom is a plant-based substance. The leaves of the Mitragyna speciosa tree were used to treat mild medical conditions in Thailand and Malaysia as a stimulant in low doses, and sedative and analgesic at high doses. Over recent years, kratom gained popularity as a recreational drug among younger individuals in Southeast Asia due to its availability as a cheap and easily assessable substance with euphoric effects. This trend has rapidly made its way to the West. Unlike marijuana, in the United States kratom's use as an inexpensive herbal recreational "supplement" is poorly popularized. However, emerging reports garnished from use as a recreational drug reveals a potential health hazard. Seizures and neurological consequences have been reported from kratom abuse. Complex pharmacokinetics place patients at further risk of side effects and drug interactions. Still, individuals can legally purchase kratom at stores and through online distributers in capsule form or as teas, powders, and extracts under the veil of a harmless herbal remedy. Without United States Food and Drug Administration oversight, kratom has a high potential for abuse and without regulatory control threatens public safety.
非法药物被用于让使用者产生欣快感。与大麻一样， kratom是一种植物性物质。在泰国和马来西亚， 帽柱木的叶子被用于治疗轻度疾病，低剂量时用作兴奋剂，高剂量时用作镇静剂和镇痛药。近年来，由于kratom作为一种廉价且易于获取、具有欣快效果的物质，在东南亚的年轻人中作为一种消遣性药物而广受欢迎。这一趋势迅速蔓延到了西方。与大麻不同，在美国，kratom作为一种廉价的草药消遣性“补充剂”的使用并未得到广泛推广。然而，从作为消遣性药物的使用中出现的报告揭示了一种潜在的健康危害。有报告称kratom滥用会导致癫痫发作和神经方面的后果。复杂的药代动力学使患者面临更高的副作用和药物相互作用风险。尽管如此，个人仍可在商店合法购买kratom，并通过在线经销商以胶囊形式或作为茶、粉末和提取物购买，其伪装成无害的草药疗法。在美国食品药品监督管理局没有监管的情况下，kratom有很高的滥用可能性，且缺乏监管控制会威胁公众安全。
