Mitragynine in food: ingestion safety
Elevated risk(People-specific data is limited; this page draws from human adult context.) Primary alkaloid of kratom (Mitragyna speciosa). Partial mu-opioid agonist. Dose-dependent: stimulant at low doses, opioid-like at high doses. 91 US deaths (2016-2017) with kratom involvement. FDA import alert since 2014.
What is mitragynine?
The IUPAC name is methyl (E)-2-[(2S,3S,12bS)-3-ethyl-8-methoxy-1,2,3,4,6,7,12,12b-octahydroindolo[2,3-a]quinolizin-2-yl]-3-methoxyprop-2-enoate.
Also known as: 4098-40-2, (-)-Mitragynine, 9-Methoxycorynantheidine, Skf 12711.
- IUPAC name
- methyl (E)-2-[(2S,3S,12bS)-3-ethyl-8-methoxy-1,2,3,4,6,7,12,12b-octahydroindolo[2,3-a]quinolizin-2-yl]-3-methoxyprop-2-enoate
- CAS number
- 4098-40-2
- Molecular formula
- C23H30N2O4
- Molecular weight
- 398.5 g/mol
- SMILES
- CC[C@H]1CN2CCc3c([nH]c4cccc(OC)c34)[C@@H]2C[C@@H]1/C(=C\OC)C(=O)OC
- PubChem CID
- 3034396
Risk for people
Elevated riskPrimary alkaloid of kratom (Mitragyna speciosa). Partial mu-opioid agonist. Dose-dependent: stimulant at low doses, opioid-like at high doses. 91 US deaths (2016-2017) with kratom involvement. FDA import alert since 2014.
Regulatory consensus
2 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Mitragynine. The classifications differ — that's the data.
| Agency | Year | Classification | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| FDA | 2014 | Import Alert 54-15 — unapproved new drug; not GRAS | |
| DEA | 2016 | Drug and Chemical of Concern (not currently scheduled federally) |
Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.
Where you encounter mitragynine
- Natural Product
- Supplement
Safer alternatives
Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Mitragynine:
-
Buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone)
Trade-offs: Prescription required. Partial opioid agonist. Well-studied safety profile. Diversion risk.Relative cost: $100-500/month
Frequently asked questions
No FAQ entries generated.
See Mitragynine in the food app
Look up products containing mitragynine, compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.
Open in food View raw API dataSources (1)
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Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →