PhD Defence Elisabeth Prevete

Keywords:Kratom, mitragynine, psychopharmacology, psychiatry 
 

"Mental Effects and Potential Therapeutic Use of Kratom/Mitragynine"
 

Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is a traditional Southeast Asian plant used medicinally since the 19th century. Recently, leaf extract products have become popular in Europe and the US, where the FDA classifies them as “new dietary ingredients” due to insufficient safety data. People worldwide use kratom to self-treat issues like pain, substance abuse, and mental health symptoms, with some using it for performance enhancement and recreational purposes. Its main active compound, mitragynine, interacts with various opioid and non-opioid receptors in the nervous system. Many serious safety concerns have been linked to drug interactions, mainly reported in the West. Despite its global use and anecdotal evidence of benefits, there are few controlled clinical and toxicological studies in humans. More research is needed to clarify kratom’s safety, behavioral effects, therapeutic potential, and addictive risks. Understanding its benefits and risks is essential for informed use and policy. Thus, this thesis aimed to enhance understanding of kratom/mitragynine use and their behavioral effects by means of two literature reviews, a netnographic analysis, two online studies, and a placebo-controlled single-blind experimental study. 

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