5d • Kratom Science
What Is Mitragynine Pseudoindoxyl?
A Clear, Science-Based Look at a Potent Semi-Synthetic Compound Misrepresented as “Kratom”
Mitragynine pseudoindoxyl — often called MP or “pseudo” — is not part of the natural kratom leaf. It’s a semi-synthetic, highly potent opioid-like compound that has entered the marketplace through adulterated products misbranded as “kratom.”
Scientists have been studying MP for its unusual pharmacology, its powerful receptor activity, and its implications for both drug development and public health. Regulators are paying attention for very different reasons: MP is potent, it’s unregulated, and in many cases it’s being sold as kratom when it is not kratom at all.
Let’s break down exactly what it is — and what consumers, advocates, and policymakers need to know.
🔬 Is Mitragynine Pseudoindoxyl Found Naturally in Kratom?
No. Scientific literature is crystal clear on this point:
✔ Mitragynine pseudoindoxyl is not found in natural Mitragyna speciosa leaf.
- It does not appear in fresh or dried kratom leaves.
- It is considered a semi-synthetic compound, an oxidative rearrangement product, or a metabolite formed after consumption, not a native plant alkaloid.
Evidence:A widely cited metabolism study (Kamble et al., 2020) confirmed that MP is formed in human plasma after 7-hydroxymitragynine is metabolized, not inside the plant.➜ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7737207
Another medicinal-chemistry paper confirms MP was absent from all natural leaf samples analyzed.➜ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37332089
This distinction matters. MP’s presence in a commercial product typically means chemical manipulation, not traditional kratom.
🌿 Understanding the Difference: Natural vs. Semi-Synthetic Alkaloids
Here is the clean breakdown your customers and policymakers need:
1. Mitragynine (MG)
- The primary natural alkaloid in kratom.
- Usually 60–70% of total alkaloid content.
- Functions as a partial opioid receptor agonist, but with a broad, multi-receptor profile.
2. 7-Hydroxymitragynine (7-OH)
- Present naturally only in trace amounts (<2% of total alkaloids).
- When you see high 7-OH levels in consumer products, that means chemical conversion, not natural leaf.
- Evidence shows 7-OH is the metabolic precursor to MP.
3. Mitragynine Pseudoindoxyl (MP)
- Not naturally found in kratom leaves.
- Formed when 7-OH rearranges in human plasma or through laboratory synthesis.
- Exhibits very high µ-opioid receptor (MOR) potency — significantly stronger than mitragynine or 7-OH.
- Modern chemical labs can now synthesize MP directly, enabling widespread adulteration.
Reference: Total synthesis breakthrough (2023):https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37332089
Potency profile and receptor action :https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5344672
⚠️ Why Mitragynine Pseudoindoxyl Raises Red Flags
Products sold as “kratom” that contain high amounts of MP are:
- Not natural
- Not traditional kratom
- Not historically used in any Southeast Asian community
- Not supported by real-world human safety data
High-MP products are viewed as adulterated or “knock-offs,” designed to mimic opioid-like effects at extreme potency levels.
Regulatory action is already underway.
The FDA has issued warning letters to companies selling semi-synthetic kratom derivatives including 7-OH and MP, because:
- They bypass natural metabolic limits
- They pose heightened addiction and overdose risks
- They are being marketed deceptively as natural kratom
Reference (UNODC alert on emerging potent derivatives):https://www.unodc.org/LSS/Announcement/Details/d0c66623-b200-4537-9f25-7df89fbdbf8b
Reference (forensic detection of MP in adulterated products):https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40373645
This is the core issue: the more potent the synthetic, the more damage it can do to the reputation of natural kratom and the people who rely on it.
🧠 Pharmacology — What MP Does in the Body
MP is a µ-opioid receptor super-agonist with binding affinity measured in the sub-nanomolar range — much stronger than both mitragynine and 7-OH.
Studies show:
- MP can be 3–5× more potent than morphine in animal pain models.
- MP may show signs of “biased agonism,” though newer research challenges this claim.
- MP maintains its rearranged structure in human plasma — once formed, it stays MP.
Key research references:
- Potency and receptor activity: activity:https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5601368
- Metabolic rearrangement of 7-OH into MP:https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7737207
- Receptor-signaling behavior:https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5344672
All of this creates a profile far removed from kratom’s traditional leaf chemistry.
🛑 Why Natural-Kratom Advocates Are Concerned
When MP shows up in retail products:
- It damages kratom’s reputation
- It increases risk for consumers who think they’re buying leaf tea
- It attracts aggressive regulatory scrutiny
- It confuses policymakers who don’t understand the difference
If policymakers mistake semi-synthetic analogs for natural kratom, the entire plant gets dragged into unnecessary restrictions.
Natural kratom has a century-long safety and cultural history. Mitragynine pseudoindoxyl does not.
📈 Where Research Is Going Next
Scientists are interested in MP because it may lead to safer next-generation opioid medications.Regulators are watching because it is already being sold without regulation.
The turning point will be whether future research validates or contradicts early claims of reduced side effects. Right now, the data is too thin to justify any therapeutic use outside of controlled research environments.
✅ Final Takeaway
Here’s the decisive bottom line:
Mitragynine pseudoindoxyl is not kratom.
It is a semi-synthetic, ultra-potent opioid-like compound that forms outside the plant.Its presence in consumer products signals adulteration, not tradition.**
Anyone using or selling kratom should know exactly where the line is drawn — and why regulators treat MP and natural kratom very differently.
0
0 comments
What Is Mitragynine Pseudoindoxyl?
powered by
skool.com/christophers-kratom-education-8543
Christopher’s Kratom Education: clear, science-based kratom education, beginner walk-throughs, brewing tips, safety, policy, and community together.
Suggested communities
Powered by