Two articles featuring breakthrough kratom-related research conducted by Soumen Chakraborty, Ph.D., postdoctoral research associate in the Center for Clinical Pharmacology, were published in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry this fall.
For the past three years, Chakraborty has been working in the laboratory of Susruta Majumdar, Ph.D., associate professor of medicinal chemistry and pharmacology at University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis, to investigate the mechanisms of action of kratom and their potential to serve as safer pain relief agents.
Through his latest work, Chakraborty and his colleagues have been focused on identifying metabolites of kratom alkaloids, which mediate its pain relieving actions. The team has also been working to identify newer analogs through the diversification of kratom’s major active alkaloid, mitragynine.
Chakraborty’s new research indicates that the metabolism of mitragynine in mice leads to the formation of a potent mu opioid receptor agonist capable of treating severe acute pain without the negative side effects associated with traditional opioid pain relievers.