Original Research

The Use of Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa Korth.) Among People Who Co-use Heroin and Methamphetamine in Malaysia

Singh, Darshan PhD; Narayanan, Suresh PhD; Vicknasingam, Balasingam PhD; Prozialeck, Walter C. PhD; Smith, Kirsten Elin PhD; Corazza, Ornella PhD; Henningfield, Jack E. PhD; Grundmann, Oliver PhD

Author Information

Centre for Drug Research, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia (DS, BV); School of Social Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia (SN); Department of Pharmacology, College of Graduate Studies, Midwestern University, Downers Grove, IL(WCP); National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD (KES); Department of Clinical, Pharmaceutical and Biological Sciences, School of Life and Medical Sciences, College Lane, Hatfield, United Kingdom (OC); Pinney Associates, Bethesda, MD and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD (JEH); Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL (OG).

Send correspondence to Darshan Singh, PhD, Centre for Drug Research, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Minden, Penang, Malaysia. E-mail: [email protected].

Received 3 March, 2021

Accepted 27 April, 2021

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

JEH, through PinneyAssociates, consults on the development of new pharmacotherapies for a broad range of medical disorders including for treatment of substance use disorders, along with consulting on kratom science and regulatory policy.

We thank Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) for providing us the Research University (RU) Grant (No: 1001/CDADAH/8016108).

Kirsten Elin Smith, This research was supported in part by the Intramural Research Program of the NIH NIDA.

Journal of Addiction Medicine 16(2):p 223-228, March/April 2022. | DOI: 10.1097/ADM.0000000000000876

Abstract

Objectives: 

Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa Korth.), an indigenous medicinal plant, has been widely used as a traditional remedy in Southeast Asia. However, its combined consumption with other substances has received scarce attention. This study investigates the use of kratom among adults with a history of using heroin and methamphetamine in Malaysia.

Methods: 

A total of 332 patients who were mandated to undergo drug rehabilitation participated in this cross-sectional study. The study data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire.

Results: 

The majority were males (95%, n = 314/332) and Malays (98%, n = 325/332) with a mean age of 32.3 years (SD = 9.16). Over two thirds of the respondents used kratom to alleviate heroin withdrawal symptoms and to reduce methamphetamine intake; 59% used it as a substitute for heroin and methamphetamine. A similar proportion used kratom to reduce heroin intake (58%), while only 15% used it for its euphoric effects. Multivariate analysis showed that previous attendees of government rehabilitation programs had lower odds of using kratom as a heroin substitute.

Conclusions: 

The potential of kratom to alleviate heroin withdrawal symptoms, and to reduce methamphetamine and heroin intake, among people who co-use heroin and methamphetamine warrants further research.

Copyright © 2021 American Society of Addiction Medicine

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