There’s no evidence kratom is a cure for the COVID-19 strain of coronavirus.
Most people use kratom for general wellness, as an energy boost, or as a tool to get through anxiety, depression, and/or chronic pain. There are some indications that kratom might help to boost the immune system.
The Indonesian newspaper Pontianak Post recently published an article quoting Dr. Thamrin Usman of Tanjungpura University. Dr. Usman said that certain kratom alkaloids behave similarly to Chloroquine, a medication used to treat malaria. Chloroquine has been misreported as an alkaloid found in kratom leaves.
Dr. Usman was giving advice to the Indonesian people regarding the outbreak of Covid-19, for which there is no cure and no vaccine. He suggested people try to boost their immunity through natural herbal supplements that grow in Indonesia, kratom being one of them. Dr. Usman said:
“By looking at the chemical structure of Chloroquine molecules which contain secondary and tertiary amine compound structures, it can be consid
ered to use kratom leaves. Because Mitragynine compounds in kratom are actually secondary and tertiary amines”
Dr. Usman’s guess is that since the atomic structure of certain kratom alkaloids is similar to that of chloroquine, it may have similar effects.
However, many alkaloids in kratom do act as immunostimulants, defined as “substances (drugs and nutrients) that stimulate the immune system by inducing activation or increasing activity of any of its components”.
A full list of alkaloids found in kratom can be found here at KratomScience.com
Here are the kratom alkaloids that act as immunostimulants:
- epicatechin: Antioxidant, antiaggregant, antibacterial, antidiabetic, antihepatitic anti-inflammatory, anti-leukemic, antimutagenic, antiperoxidant, antiviral, potential cancer preventative, alpha-amylase inhibitor. Also found in dark chocolate.
- Isomitraphylline: Immunostimulant, anti-leukemic. < 1% of total alkaloid content found in Kratom leaf.
- Isopteropodine: Immunostimulant
- Isorhynchophylline: Immunostimulant. < 1% of total alkaloid content found in Kratom leaf.
- Mitraphylline: Oxindole alkaloid. Vasodilator, antihypertensive, muscle relaxer, diuretic, antiamnesic, anti-leukemic, possible immunostimulant. <1% of total alkaloid contents in Kratom leaf.
Anecdotally, many kratom consumers claim that symptoms of common colds are alleviated faster when consuming kratom.
Please wash your hands, avoid crowds, and do everything you can to boost your immune system, kratom or not!
