7-Hydroxymitragynine (Kratom Metabolite · Potent Mu-Opioid · Informational)
Compiled from published pharmacological and botanical literature. Not independently verified by Herbuno. Spotted an error or have a correction? Flag it below →
| Compound | 7-Hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) |
| Chemical class | Alkaloid — Indole (oxidised corynanthe-type; mitragynine metabolite) |
| CAS | 174418-82-7 |
| Primary source | Mitragyna speciosa (kratom), trace in leaf; metabolite of mitragynine |
| Key applications | Potent mu-opioid partial agonist; high abuse-liability research context; controlled/variable status; informational-only |
| Claim strength | Emerging (clinical); controlled/variable status |
| Typical form | Research reference; not offered as a supplement ingredient |
| Buy from Herbuno | Informational reference — see HerbIQ Compound Index → |
Name origin: 7-Hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) is the 7-hydroxy oxidation product of mitragynine, the principal kratom alkaloid, and its name records that single structural modification. Traditional use: Traditional kratom leaf preparations contain only trace 7-OH, so the compound has no separate traditional identity; it arises largely as a metabolite of mitragynine after ingestion, and historically people using whole leaf were exposed to it only indirectly and at low levels. The concentrated and semi-synthetic 7-OH products now seen in some unregulated markets are a modern development chemically distinct from that traditional context. Research trajectory: 7-OH is a high-affinity partial agonist at the mu-opioid receptor, several-fold more potent than mitragynine, and in animal studies it is the key mediator of mitragynine’s analgesic effect — established through work showing that mitragynine is metabolised to 7-OH and that this metabolite drives the mu-opioid activity Kruegel 2019. Its abuse liability has been characterised directly: unlike mitragynine, 7-OH substitutes for morphine and is self-administered in rodent models, marking it as the kratom constituent of greatest dependence concern Hemby 2018. Concentrated and semi-synthetic 7-OH products have emerged in unregulated markets and prompted regulatory warnings. Safety and legal context: 7-OH carries potent opioid activity, documented abuse potential, and controlled or restricted status in many jurisdictions; this page is a factual research reference and explicitly not a sourcing offer.
Evidence for 7-Hydroxymitragynine Applications
Potent mu-opioid agonism: 7-OH is a high-affinity partial agonist at the mu-opioid receptor, substantially more potent than mitragynine, and it mediates much of kratom’s analgesic effect as an active metabolite formed from mitragynine after ingestion Kruegel 2019. Its potency is the central fact that distinguishes it from the parent alkaloid. Claim strength: Emerging.
Abuse liability: In rodent self-administration studies 7-OH substitutes for morphine and is itself self-administered, whereas mitragynine is not, which identifies 7-OH as the kratom constituent with high abuse potential and as a driver of the dependence risk associated with enriched products Hemby 2018. Claim strength: Emerging.
Metabolite relationship: Because 7-OH forms from mitragynine after ingestion, the pharmacology of kratom preparations depends heavily on this conversion, and concentrated 7-OH products bypass the natural low-level exposure characteristic of whole leaf, presenting a fundamentally different pharmacological input Kruegel 2019. Claim strength: Emerging.
Regulatory and safety signal: The emergence of enriched 7-OH products has been associated with opioid-like withdrawal, tolerance, use disorder, and other harms, prompting regulatory attention, and the difficulty of detecting 7-OH on standard urine immunoassays further complicates clinical management Hemby 2018. Claim strength: Emerging.
Analytical importance: Because the ratio of 7-OH to mitragynine largely determines the risk profile of a kratom product, quantification of 7-OH by LC-MS is the analytically decisive measurement for distinguishing traditional leaf from enriched or semi-synthetic material Hemby 2018. Claim strength: Emerging.
This compound is documented for research and formulator education purposes. For commercially available botanical ingredients, explore the HerbIQ Compound Index →
Dosage & Formulator Specification
7-Hydroxymitragynine is documented here strictly for research and formulator education. Herbuno does not offer it as an ingredient. It is a potent mu-opioid agonist with documented abuse liability and controlled or restricted status in many jurisdictions, and it is not appropriate for any supplement formulation; no consumer dosing is provided.
Concentrated or semi-synthetic 7-OH products are chemically distinct from traditional kratom leaf and carry a heightened safety and regulatory concern, and the deliberate enrichment of 7-OH is precisely the practice that has drawn regulatory warnings. No supplement-grade application exists, and this page should not be read as sourcing guidance under any framing.
From an analytical standpoint, the measurement that matters is the 7-OH-to-mitragynine ratio determined by LC-MS, because that ratio, rather than total alkaloid content, governs the opioid potency and dependence risk of a given kratom material. This is the single most important quality-control distinction between traditional leaf, which carries only trace 7-OH, and enriched products, which do not — a distinction that is central to any factual account even though it opens no ingredient pathway.
The regulatory trajectory of 7-OH is a live and fast-moving matter, and its status should be checked against current guidance in any territory of interest rather than assumed from the status of kratom leaf. The central public-health concern is specifically the shift from traditional whole-leaf use, in which 7-OH exposure is incidental and low, to engineered products built around the potent metabolite; understanding that distinction is essential to interpreting both the science and the regulatory response, and it is the reason this compound is treated with particular care in HerbIQ.
This monograph provides factual pharmacological, safety, and legal context within the HerbIQ index, situating 7-OH relative to its parent mitragynine and the diastereomer speciociliatine, and does not constitute sourcing guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions — 7-Hydroxymitragynine
What is 7-hydroxymitragynine?
7-Hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) is a minor kratom alkaloid and the active metabolite of mitragynine. It is a potent partial agonist at the mu-opioid receptor, considerably stronger than mitragynine itself, and it is the kratom constituent of greatest dependence concern.
Why is 7-hydroxymitragynine a safety concern?
7-OH has high mu-opioid potency and documented abuse liability, and concentrated or semi-synthetic 7-OH products that have appeared in unregulated markets have prompted regulatory warnings and been associated with dependence, tolerance, and opioid-like harms. Standard urine immunoassays do not reliably detect it, which complicates clinical assessment.
Why is 7-hydroxymitragynine informational-only?
Because of its potent opioid activity, documented abuse potential, and controlled or variable legal status, it is documented for research and education only and is not offered as an ingredient by Herbuno.
Is 7-hydroxymitragynine present in natural kratom leaf?
Only at trace levels. It occurs minimally in fresh leaf and forms largely as a metabolite of mitragynine after ingestion or through deliberate enrichment; concentrated 7-OH products are chemically distinct from traditional leaf preparations and carry a heightened risk profile.
Related compounds: Mitragynine, Speciociliatine, Ibogaine, Morphine
Claim-strength scale – High = multiple human RCTs; Moderate = limited trials or strong preclinical convergence; Emerging = early-stage lab or animal data.
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