ArticlePsychopharmacology2018
Abuse liability of mitragynine assessed with a self-administration procedure in rats.
Article in Psychopharmacology, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 54 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
54 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 104 citations in OpenAlex.
- A systematic review of (pre)clinical studies on the therapeutic potential and safety profile of kratom in humans.Human psychopharmacology · 2022Pooled it
- Assessment of Abuse Potential-Related Effects of Oral Dried Kratom Leaf Powder in Healthy Normal Participants Following Single and Multiple Daily Doses.Drug testing and analysis · 2026Trial
- Mitragynine reduces methamphetamine self-administration in rats without disrupting food-maintained responding.Psychopharmacology · 2026Article
- Kratom (Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Mitragynine and Morphine Stabilize Different Conformations of the μ‑Opioid Receptor as Revealed by Molecular Dynamics Simulation Studies.ACS omega · 2026Article
- UV-B and far-red light shape morphological and phytochemical responses in kratom.Frontiers in plant science · 2026Article
- Multifaceted modulation of human opioid receptors by kratom alkaloids: binding affinity, functional selectivity, and allosteric activity.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2026Article
- In Vitro Pharmacology of Mitragynine at α-Adrenoceptors.ACS chemical neuroscience · 2025Article
- Mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine: Bidirectional effects on breathing in rats.The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics · 2025Article
- Dual sigma receptor/dopamine transporter inhibition and the union of pharmacology and experimental psychology.The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics · 2025Review
- Kratom Alkaloids, Cannabinoids, and Chronic Pain: Basis of Potential Utility and Role in Therapy.Cannabis and cannabinoid research · 2025Article
- Effects of Dual Inhibition at Dopamine Transporter and σ Receptors in the Discriminative-Stimulus Effects of Cocaine in Male Rats.The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics · 2024Article
- Comparison of theThe Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics · 2024Article
- Multiple-Dose Pharmacokinetics and Safety of Mitragynine, the Major Alkaloid of Kratom, in Rats.ACS pharmacology & translational science · 2024Article
- Kratom safety and toxicology in the public health context: research needs to better inform regulation.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2024Review
- Targeting Opioid Receptors in Addiction and Drug Withdrawal: Where Are We Going?International journal of molecular sciences · 2023Review
- Kratom's Emergence and Persistence Within the US Polydrug Epidemic.Current addiction reports · 2023Review
- Respiratory effects of oral mitragynine and oxycodone in a rodent model.Psychopharmacology · 2022Article
- Kratom alkaloid mitragynine: Inhibition of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy in mice is dependent on sex and active adrenergic and opioid receptors.IBRO neuroscience reports · 2022Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
rationaleSubstantial use of the plant kratom for psychoactive effects has driven interest in its abuse liability. Several place conditioning studies suggest abuse liability of the active ingredient mitragynine, though studies of its self-administration have not been published.
methodsBinding of mitragynine to rat brain mu, kappa, and delta opioid receptors was compared to that for heroin and morphine. Self-administration of mitragynine, heroin, methamphetamine, or saline was assessed during single-session substitutions in rats trained to self-administer methamphetamine (0.022 mg/kg/injection, i.v.) during 1-h daily sessions.
resultsMitragynine had > 2- or ~ 16-fold greater affinity for the mu opioid receptor than, respectively, for kappa or delta opioid receptors. Its affinity for the mu receptor was ~ 200-fold less than that for morphine. In rats trained to self-administer methamphetamine, saline substitutions significantly decreased the number of responses, whereas different doses of methamphetamine (0.002-0.068 mg/kg/injection) or heroin (0.001-0.03 mg/kg/injection) maintained self-administration with maximal responding at 0.022 or 0.01 mg/kg/injection, respectively. In contrast, no dose of mitragynine maintained response rates greater than those obtained with saline. Presession mitragynine treatment (0.1 to 3.0 mg/kg) decreased response rates maintained by heroin but had little effect on responding maintained by methamphetamine across the same range of doses.
conclusionsThese results suggest a limited abuse liability of mitragynine and potential for mitragynine treatment to specifically reduce opioid abuse. With the current prevalence of opioid abuse and misuse, it appears currently that mitragynine is deserving of more extensive exploration for its development or that of an analog as a medical treatment for opioid abuse.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.