Comparison of biochemical and safety parameters of regular kratom (Mitragyna speciosa Korth.) users at two different time periods

Introduction: Kratom is a medicinal plant native to Southeast Asia. This present study was primarily undertaken to investigate changes in the vital signs, hematological, and biochemical parameters of regular kratom users. Method: Five male regular kratom users were recruited for this longitudinal study. Subjects volunteered to undergo two sessions of blood tests and vital signs assessments after a 3-month interval (baseline: T1; after 3 months: T2). Result: There were no significant alterations found in the hematological and biochemical of kratom users, except for a decrease in white cell count after a 3-month interval. In general, the kidney, liver function tests, thyroid, and glucose parameters were not significantly affected. Calcium, total protein, and globulin levels were significantly increased at T2 compared to T1, but all these parameters were within the normal reference range. There were alterations in the lipid profile, where total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol parameters were elevated at both T1 and T2, while significant increase in HDL cholesterol, and decrease in triglycerides levels were observed at T2 compared to T1. Conclusion: Our results indicated that continuous consumption of kratom decoction at a daily mitragynine dose of 76.3–114.8 mg did not appear to alter the safety hematological and biochemical parameters of kratom users.