The American Herbal Products Association's (AHPA) board has published a new guidance policy to clarify the difference between products made from the Kratom botanical and synthetic Kratom alkaloids. The AHPA develops guidance policies to encourage responsible commerce in herbal products and recommends that members and non-members adopt these policies to create consistent and informed trade practices.

These policies specifically address the sale and distribution of synthetic Kratom products, aiming to ensure that businesses operating within this sector adhere to ethical and legal standards.

Existing AHPA policy guidance on Kratom

In 2024, the American Herbal Products Association published an entry for Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) in the second edition of its online Botanical Safety Handbook. The entry is based on the traditional use of Kratom, consumed as fresh leaves or prepared as a tea and does not consider the highly concentrated Kratom extract products that are also widely available to buy online and in stores across the USA.

The original Kratom entry was created based on a review of published literature detailing the herb's pharmacological and toxicological profile, clinical studies and case reports of adverse effects.

In it, Jane Wilson, AHPA's Director of Program Development, recognized the long history of safe, traditional Kratom use. She advised consumers to refer to the Botanical Safety Handbook and other reliable sources for safety information when using herbs for personal health and wellness.

“Kratom has a long history of safe traditional use,” said Jane Wilson, AHPA Director of Program Development, when the entry was announced. “But, as with any botanical, we encourage consumers to take safety information available in the Botanical Safety Handbook and from other reputable sources into consideration when using herbs to support their personal health and wellness.

New AHPA policy guidance on Kratom and synthetic Kratom alkaloids

Now, the AHPA has released further new guidance to include synthetic Kratom and its derivatives. It confirms that Kratom is the common name for the Mitragyna speciosa tree and its leaves, which contain a variety of compounds including alkaloids, flavonoids, polyphenolic compounds, triterpenoids, triterpenoid saponins, monoterpenes and secoiridoids. The primary alkaloid present in the leaves is mitragynine.

Howevere it goes on to clarify: "Some 'Kratom' products on the market seem to be primarily composed of 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) and lack other alkaloids typically found in plant-derived Kratom products. Although 7-OH can result from the oxidation of mitragynine and is present in trace amounts in dried, processed Kratom leaf, its concentration is not high enough to be commercially viable in this form."

The AHPA's new policy on Kratom strongly discourages the marketing of products intended for consumption by any route that contain synthesized 7-OH or other synthetic Kratom alkaloids. Additionally, the policy advises against labeling or marketing such products as 'Kratom.'

It is important to note that AHPA’s guidance policies are intended to promote responsible practices but are not a substitute for applicable statutes and regulations, nor should they be considered legal advice.

In conclusion, the AHPA's updated policy on Kratom underscores the importance of responsible marketing and product labeling, particularly in relation to synthetic Kratom alkaloids. By discouraging the marketing of products containing synthesized 7-OH or other synthetic alkaloids as 'Kratom,' the AHPA aims to protect consumers and promote ethical industry practices.