Kratom is a popular plant across the globe. It is widely known for its stimulating, relaxing and euphoric effects. There is not much research available in document form on Kratom. For this reason, people hesitate to use it. The legal status of Kratom is also questionable in many countries. All of these lead to finding an alternative. Akuamma Seeds are an alternative of Kratom which is famous for same effects. How these two are similar and different, decide which is more powerful.
What are Akuamma seeds?
Akuamma plant is known as Picralima nitida. These seeds are a part of the fruit of this plant. They are also famous as “vincamajoridine.” Tropical areas such as Africa (Ghana, Ivory, Gabon, Cabinda, Cameroon, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Congo, Uganda, and Zaire) are its native areas. The dry seeds of Akuamma plant are helpful for use in medicine. These seeds are a part of traditional African oral medicine. It helps to overcome the problems of malaria, diarrhea and chronic pains. It is a natural alternative to painkillers.
Pharmacology of Akuamma seeds
The major components of Akuamma seeds are alkaloids pericine and akuammine. Akuammine, for example, is an indole alkaloid. It is the most common alkaloid in Akuamma seeds. Seeds and crushed powder both have high amounts of akuammine. Akuammine has a unique property of working as the antipyretic and anti-inflammatory agent along with pain killing effect. Akuammine along with other alkaloids can bind to the opioid receptors, only two compounds akuammidine and ψ-akuammigine have the tendency for μ-opioid agonists. Being the largest component of seeds, akuammine has 0.56% volume in the seed powder. A 250 mg dietary capsule has 1.4 mg of akuammine with additional 0.085mg akkuammidine and only 0.015 mg ψ-akuammigine.
What is kratom?
Kratom is Mitragyna speciosa from the Southeastern Asia. It is a traditionally popular herb which has the role in euphoric experiences. Being a natural stimulator, Kratom is famous for following solutions.
- Pain relief
- Immunity booster
- Energy provider
- Addiction recovery
- Mood swings and anxiety
- Stress reduction
- Diction recovery
- Sexual stimulant
- Cardiac health
- Diabetes and blood pressure
Treating diarrhea and adverse pain in Southeast Asia is effective. It is relatively new in Europe and US. Kratom leaves have maximum alkaloids which give specific beneficial properties to it. Usually chewing the leaves initiates the effects but a fine powder of leaves is commercially available with same effects. It is known as a safe and legal drug which is an alternative to chemical based harmful drugs.
Pharmacology of kratom
The principal active alkaloids in Kratom are mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine. These alkaloids are responsible for pain relieving, sedative, euphoric, and stimulating effects.
Some other alkaloids of Kratom are:
- Ajmalicine
- Corynantheidine
- Ciliaphylline
- Corynoxine
- Corynoxeine
- Epicatechin
- 9-Hydroxycorynantheidine
- Isomitraphylline
- Isomitrafoline
- Isopteropodine
- Isorhynchophylline
- Isospeciofoline
- Mitraciliati
- Mitrafoline
- Mitraphylline
- Mitraversine
- Rhynchophyllin
- Rhynchophyllin
- Peciociliatine
- Speciofoline
- Speciophyllin
- Speciogynine
- Tetrahydroalstonin
All these alkaloids vary in their quantities from region to region. Their amount is different in different strains too. The harvest time of Kratom is also responsible for its composition, potential and alkaloid count.
The similarity between kratom and Akuamma
Akuamma mimics Kratom for the effects. It also works as an opiate receptor agonist. It operates on the MU receptors, Delta and Kappa receptor sites too. The effects of Akuamma are similar but weaker than Kratom. The analgesic effects are due to the interaction of it with opioid receptors. The principal alkaloids akkuammidine, akuammine, akuammicine, and akuammigine are not a part of Kratom. These alkaloids follow a different binding mechanism which differentiates them from Kratom.
Which is better between kratom and akuamma seeds?
- A selection between Kratom and Akuamma is personal.
- Both of these share similar properties. Although Akuamma seeds have milder effect as that of Kratom, it is sturdy and long lasting.
- Kratom sometimes faces criticism for its legal status whereas Akuamma seeds are 100% legal to use.
- Kratom has many strains available which are a tricky thing for one strain selection. There is no as such concept of strains in Akuamma seeds.
- Kratom is mostly available, but some rare strains are not available. Akuamma seeds are readily available everywhere.
- For medical use, Akuamma seeds work from 1.5-1.7g dosage whereas Kratom needs 3g and above dosage for its effects. Only a few strains start operating in lower dosage e.g. 1-2g.
- Akuamma seeds are cheaper than many strains of Kratom. Kratom is not available everywhere, and some strains of Kratom are very rare to find. Because of this, Kratom doesn’t have one special price to follow; it fluctuates from strain to strain.
- Akuamma seeds are mild and safer to use. There are no as such side effects related to it. Kratom users may face a side effect if they increase their consumption quantity to over 10g. The side effects are not lethal; they include a headache, nausea, upset stomach, etc.
- Apart from all chemical and effect based differences, the choice is personal. A person should try both and only continue the one with better effects and least side effects.
The final words
Kratom and Akuamma seeds both have similar effects. These effects include stress release, Painkiller, antidepressant, energy booster and immunity enhancer. Both are powerful in different ways. If we consider the ingredient count, Kratom has more than 1500 types of alkaloids which make it stronger than Akuamma seeds. If we look at effects, the effects of Akuamma are more stable and long-lasting than Kratom. For which people prefer to use it. However, both these plants are significantly robust with equally complimenting effects.
good info!