When discussing kratom, youâve probably encountered talk of fancy sounding compounds like âmitragynineâ and â7-hydroxymitragynine.â While their polysyllabic names may be intimidating, a little bit of chemistry knowledge goes a long way in demystifying these terms floating around kratom circles. Specifically, that slight modification from mitragynine to 7-hydroxymitragynine has major implications. So what gives with the âhydroxyâ? Read on, my friends, as we unravel this bit of chemistry that is critical to understanding 7-OH.
Whatâs in a Name?
Letâs start at the very basics - the name. 7-hydroxymitragynine includes the root word mitragynine - the most abundant and best studied of the 20+ alkaloid compounds that give kratom leaves their unique properties. The âmitraâ part comes from the genus name for the kratom tree, Mitragyna speciosa. And the ending â-ineâ denotes that this is an amine compound, meaning it contains nitrogen. With me so far? Good!
Now, what about this âhydroxyâ business? In chemistry naming, hydroxy- signifies an oxygen atom (O) attached to another molecule. In this case, a hydrogen and oxygen pair (OH) stuck on to the mitragynine in place of a regular hydrogen atom (H). Thatâs essentially what hydroxylation means - replacing hydrogen with the hydroxy group OH in a chemical structure. The key point is that this modification dramatically impacts the compound. Read on to see why!
One Powerful Molecule
On its own, mitragynine makes up about 66% of the total alkaloid content of kratom leaves by weight, and is likely responsible for many of the experiences that kratom users describe (both good and bad.) Now 7-hydroxymitragynine on the other hand... This guy right here comprises just around 2% of total alkaloids. But donât let the small percentage fool you - 7-OH is a far more... interesting compound than mitragynine, by many multiples. Itâs what makes this alkaloid and its hydroxylation stand apart.
Changes Across Kratom Strains and Processing
In the real world, kratom composition varies widely across strains, seasons, regional varieties, and processing methods. This means relative concentrations of key alkaloids like mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine shift as well. Generally speaking, hydroxylation and conversion to 7-OH appears most pronounced in mature âred veinâ kratom leaves. Factors like genetics, light, humidity and cultivation impact chemical transformations within the plant too.
Furthermore, post-harvest handling alters alkaloid ratios. Drying techniques affect moisture content and temperature activates enzymatic processes that keep modifying leaf chemistry during curing. Material that is aged, stored long-term or extracted may see further hydroxylation emerge over time. Taken all together, these dynamics mean announced alkaloid purities on most commercial kratom products deserve some skepticism. Nature and biosynthesis have their own ideas! Unless someone managed to isolate that 7-OH all on its own... đ€
Hydrox(ie)
And there you have it! That's what the "hydroxy" bit refers to (and if you hadn't noticed, it's where our product got its name.) One tiny functional tweak unlocks outsized punch for hydroxylated alkaloids like our headliner 7-hydroxymitragynine!
