Kratom Abuse is on the Rise

Kratom is increasingly being abused as an alternative to opioids. The US Poison Control Center reports a greater than 50 fold increase in calls regarding Kratom from 2011 to 2017 and more recently a six fold increase in just two years (from 2016 to 2018).1,2

Kratom is an unscheduled opioid which acts on the opioid receptors, leading to abuse and dependence. It has recently been associated with multiple deaths and is suspected to be adulterated with other drugs. Due to its potential for abuse and addiction, both the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the FDA are striving together to get a Schedule I designation for Kratom. It is currently listed by the DEA as a "drug of concern."

Add the CEDIA Mitragynine (Kratom) Assay to your drug testing panel and begin screening for mitragynine today! 

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Thermo Scientific™ CEDIA™ Mitragynine (Kratom) Assay

  • Specifically detects mitragynine, the major active alkaloid in Kratom
  • Excellent Correlation to LC-MS/MS: >99%
  • Highly precise around the cutoff: CV <3.5%
  • Applications available on a range of clinical analyzers
  • Qualitative and Semi-quantitative detection

For Criminal Justice and Forensic Use Only

 

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On-demand Webinar

Kratom abuse is on the rise
The next chapter in the Opioid Crisis!

Drug testing facilities should be screening for Kratom, an opioid with potential for addiction and abuse. It is crucial to understand the physiological and psychological effects of Kratom, and how it is being used as an alternative to other opioids.

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Scientific Poster Download

Development of a New Homogeneous Enzyme Immunoassay for the Detection of Mitragynine in Human Urine

Learn more! Download this scientific poster presented at the 2018 Society of Forensic Toxicologists (SOFT) conference.

Download the poster!

1  S Post, HA Spiller, T Chounthirath, GA Smith. Kratom exposures reported to United States poison control centers: 2011-2017, Clinical Toxicology, 20 Feb 2019

2   https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-08-poisonings-kratom-sold-herbal-supplement.html (accessed March 21, 2019)

KRATOM FAST FACTS

  • Derived from a tropical evergreen tree, Mitragyna speciosa, Kratom is native to Southeast Asia
  • The leaves are smoked, brewed as tea, ground into powder and mixed in chocolate bars, energy drinks or gel capsules
  • Kratom can cause effects similar to opioids and stimulants
  • Kratom consumption can lead to addiction