There are many different plants and products that can be used as an alternative to kratom and we probably still don’t know most of them. So, let’s examine some of them and their effects and properties bellow.
- Blue Lotus
Blue lotus or nymphaea cerulea is original from the Nile River in Egypt. It was discovered by the ancient Egyptians, who used the plant in their ritual ceremonies. Despite its name, blue lotus is not a lotus flower, but a water lily.
Some of the properties that blue lotus share with kratom are:
- Sedative
- Relaxing
- Antianxiety
- Stimulating
- Euphoric
- Discomfort reliever
Blue lotus also has aphrodisiac properties, promotes vivid dreams and can mitigate diarrhea. It can also help mitigate some symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. It is also commonly used for socializing.
- Kava
Kava (piper methysticum) is a plant from the pepper family, native to some western Pacific countries, such as Polynesia, Hawaii, and Fiji. Its actives compounds are pipermethystine (in leaves and stems) and kavalactones (in roots and underground parts). Kavalactones are responsible for the effects of the plant, that’s why its roots are the most popular part of the plant.
Kava has the following effects in common with kratom:
- Relaxing
- Helps with sleeping problems
- Anti-anxiety
Kava also has other properties: it helps to relieve muscle tension and helps deal with stress. Although it poses a low health risk in moderate dosages, it can cause liver damage when there is abuse.
Mitragyna hirsuta is a close relative to kratom as you can appreciate in its traditional name “kra thum khok”. It grows in some regions of Asia, such as Cambodia or Vietnam. Like kratom, mitragyna hirsuta is a tree. Its primary active alkaloid is mitraphylline, which is similar to mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, both present in kratom.
Mitragyna hirsuta has euphoric and energizing effects on smaller doses, whilst it’s more calming and sedative in larger doses, just like it’s cousin kratom. Users report that it’s somehow similar to a white strain of kratom. Some of the properties that both “mitragynas” share are:
- Pain relief
- Sedative
- Energizing
- Helps improve concentration
- Anti-anxiety
- Helps ease opiate withdrawal symptoms.
Furthermore, Mitragyna hirsuta can also help balance blood pressure.
