Federal court filings obtained by CNN show that the tablets discovered near the bodies of two University of Mississippi students who died on September 21 contained three semisynthetic derivatives of the kratom plant: mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15 and 7‑OH. These compounds are not the natural herb but concentrated, laboratory‑produced forms of kratom alkaloids.
Schedule I classification
In August, the U.S. Department of Justice, acting through the Drug Enforcement Administration, placed MGM-15 and mitragynine pseudoindoxyl on the Schedule I list on an emergency basis. Schedule I is reserved for substances with no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse, a category that also includes heroin, LSD and cannabis.
Health concerns and regulatory status
Scientists at the National Institute on Drug Abuse have expressed strong concern about the ease with which certain kratom products can be obtained. The compounds bind to the brain’s mu‑opioid receptors, producing effects similar to opioids such as heroin, oxycodone or fentanyl, though generally weaker. When metabolized, the natural kratom alkaloid mitragynine converts to 7‑hydroxymitragynine (7‑OH), which then can become mitragynine pseudoindoxyl.
Because these semisynthetic forms are more potent than the natural leaf, they can amplify opioid‑like effects, leading to dependency, respiratory depression and, in severe cases, overdose. Dr. Kim Aldy, director of the Toxicology Investigators Consortium, notes that patients have reported withdrawal symptoms resembling those seen with heroin or fentanyl.
Legal landscape
While natural kratom remains unregulated at the federal level, it is not legally marketed as a drug, dietary supplement, or food additive. At least 30 states have some form of regulation, and nine states—including Alabama, Connecticut, Louisiana and Vermont—have outright bans. Several states, such as Florida, Ohio, Kentucky and California, have already prohibited the semisynthetic derivatives identified in the Ole Miss case.
The federal government has not yet placed 7‑OH on the Schedule, but a public comment period on a proposed rule to schedule it was extended through September 10. The Food and Drug Administration reiterates that kratom products are not lawfully marketed in the United States.
Potential signs of poisoning
Medical professionals warn that kratom or its derivatives can cause high blood pressure, vomiting, heart attack, tremors, seizures, hallucinations, liver damage and tachycardia. Symptoms may also include palpitations, dizziness, shortness of breath, fainting and chest pain.
Autopsy and toxicology reports for the Ole Miss students have not yet been released, so investigators cannot confirm whether the semisynthetic compounds contributed to the fatalities. However, the growing number of poisonings and addiction cases linked to kratom and its derivatives underscores the need for continued monitoring and potential regulatory action.
Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.
