Mitragynine Pseudoindoxyl vs. 7-Hydroxymitragynine (7-OH)

Apologies for the big words in the title, but we’re just talking about kratom here, folks. Nothing too fancy. 

You might have encountered kratom products at a health store, smoke shop, or niche online shop (we hear those are pretty rad). From capsules to gummies and other sweet treats, it’s not too difficult to find one that works for you. 

If you’re content to simply use your kratom products and not go down the Wikipedia rabbit hole, we completely understand. No judgment here. But if you want to know a little more about how kratom’s psychoactive compounds (alkaloids), such as mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, interact with the human body, don’t touch that dial.

Quick Review: Understanding Kratom

First, let’s do a quick primer on kratom—the plant scientifically known as Mitragyna speciosa. It grows in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and a few other countries in Southeast Asia. It’s been popular in that part of the world for millennia, and the rest of the world is starting to take notice.

Kratom leaves hold alkaloids, which are the chemical compounds responsible for the plant’s pleasant effects. Three of the main alkaloids in kratom are mitragynine, mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, and 7-hydroxymitragynine (sometimes called 7-OH).

A popular way of consuming kratom is grinding the leaves into a fine powder and placing them in pills. If you want to really taste the kratom, you can steep intact leaves in hot water for some kratom tea. That’s one of the earliest ways people in Southeast Asia consumed it. As technology has gotten niftier, product makers have started extracting the alkaloids (yep, including mitragynine pseudoindoxyl) for extract shots and inclusion in a number of yummy goodies. 

What is Mitragynine Pseudoindoxyl?

The short answer is that mitragynine pseudoindoxyl is a rearranged compound that comes from 7-OH, which is itself an active metabolite of mitragynine, which can make up as much as two-thirds of kratom’s alkaloid content.

Let’s break that down a little bit. When you consume mitragynine, your organs and bodily systems start interacting with it in different ways. 

Your liver goes to work metabolizing as much mitragynine as it can, which results in 7-OH. Kratom leaves have a tiny bit of 7-OH in them already, but the majority of 7-OH you get from kratom ingestion actually comes from mitragynine. 

The wild and wonderful human body converts some of that 7-OH into mitragynine pseudoindoxyl. 

As little as scientists understand about mitragynine and 7-OH, they know even less about mitragynine pseudoindoxyl. They do know that it is an even more potent alkaloid relative to 7-OH, which already blows mitragynine out of the water. To give you some perspective, 7-OH can be up to 46 times more potent than morphine. 

Mitragynine Pseudoindoxyl Effects & Benefits

The benefits of mitragynine pseudoindoxyl largely mirror the effects of higher kratom doses. 

Generally speaking, lower doses of kratom energize users and provide cognitive boosts. Those who want pain relief (analgesia) and a relaxed kratom experience need to consume a little bit more. 

The more kratom you consume, the more mitragynine your body takes in; the more mitragynine your body takes in, the more mitragynine pseudoindoxyl you eventually get. 

A more-or-less complete list of mitragynine pseudoindoxyl benefits might include:

• Lessened physical pain
• Relaxation
• Sedation
• Drowsiness

What is 7-Hydroxymitragynine (7-OH)?

Mitragynine pseudoindoxyl could not be possible without 7-OH. In fact, these two alkaloids have a lot more in common than either has with mitragynine. 7–OH is an alkaloid, but it only makes up about 0.01 percent to 0.04 percent of kratom’s total alkaloid content. 

Like mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, 7-OH acts as a partial agonist with mu-opioid receptors, which regulate pain and the brain’s reward pathway. 

That means 7-OH can act as a key of sorts and unleash some of the feel-good chemicals known to emanate from those particular receptors. 

7-Hydroxymitragynine Effects & Benefits

The benefits of 7-OH are nearly identical to those of mitragynine pseudoindoxyl. 7-OH seems to create the relaxing, sedating, and pain-relieving effects that are closely associated with higher kratom doses. 

With the available data on animal testing, though, scientists are leaning toward 7-OH not being quite as potent as mitragynine pseudoindoxyl. 

Because kratom (and, more specifically, 7-OH and mitragynine pseudoindoxyl) binds to certain opioid receptors, it’s been gaining attention as an alternative to opioids for those who have encountered withdrawal symptoms while trying to cease opioid use. 

Studies have been extremely limited so far, but it appears that some of kratom’s alkaloids can bind to opioid receptors without causing some of the adverse effects of opioid use disorder, such as constipation, slowed breathing, and dependence. 

Both mitragynine and 7-OH seem not to activate the beta-arrestin pathway, which triggers many of those adverse effects. However, mitragynine pseudoindoxyl has the added benefit of being extremely biased against G proteins, which might make it even more effective at combating opioid withdrawal syndrome. 

Mitragynine Pseudoindoxyl vs. 7-Hydroxymitragynine

We understand how deep into the weeds we just wandered. If you’re more of a visual learner, we’ve got you covered.

The general side effects of kratom, which usually apply to its alkaloids, include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Sweating
• Frequent urination
• High heart rate
• High blood pressure
• Excessive drowsiness
• Loss of appetite
• Insomnia
• Constipation
• Confusion
• Seizures (extremely rare)
• Coma (extremely rare)
• Death (extremely, extremely rare)
• 7-OH vs. Mitragynine Pseudoindoxyl: Which is Best for Me?
  

As these two alkaloids produce incredibly similar effects, the question of which one is better for you may be a moot one. However, here are some things you may want to consider when shopping for kratom products:

• Your experience with kratom. If you don’t have much experience using kratom, you may want to start with lower doses—that might mean sticking to mitragynine or 7-OH products at first.
• Your desired outcome from kratom use. 7-OH is generally good for relaxation and chilling out. Mitragynine pseudoindoxyl products haven’t quite made their way into the mainstream yet, but if you encounter one, be prepared for an intense experience.
• Worries about dependence. Animal studies have suggested that mitragynine pseudoindoxyl might be less likely than 7-OH to cause tolerance or dependence. 

Find Mitragynine Pseudoindoxyl & 7-OH Goodies at Gold Dragon

Scientists know so much more about kratom today than they did 30 years ago. Gold Dragon Kratom is proud to carry some amazing, cutting-edge products that give you the purest sensations.

We have some pseudoindoxyl-only products if you’re looking to take your kratom experiences to the next level. If you’d rather work your way up, we also have 7-OH-specific products.

We understand that you probably have a lot of questions about our products, and we’re here to help you understand what you’re buying. Feel free to contact us anytime to set up a free, no-obligation consultation at your convenience.