Corynoxeine: What We Know About Kratom’s Antioxidant Alkaloid

Kratom is being studied for its benefits, including the lesser-known alkaloid corynoxeine, which is an antioxidant.

Written by: KRI Team

Last Updated: October 14, 2024

Kratom’s worldwide popularity is primarily due to its use as a stimulant and an aid to enhance focus, or when taken in larger doses, for its analgesic and sedative properties. However, with more than 40 active alkaloids, kratom is being researched for its other possible recreational and health benefits. One of its lesser-known alkaloids is corynoxeine, a known antioxidant. Can we add “antioxidant” to kratom’s list of benefits? Let’s find out.

What is Kratom?

Known by its scientific name, Mitragyna speciosa, kratom is a tropical evergreen tree that grows in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and other parts of Southeast Asia. Reaching heights of up to 80 feet, the tree’s leaves are harvested for their diverse properties. Long used as a productivity aid to the area’s many fishermen and farmers, its leaves were chewed or brewed as tea to increase energy and concentration. Now popular in the Western world, kratom is available as capsules, extracts, gummies, and as a finely ground powder.

Its use in the West can range from a pre-workout energy boost to calming the mind for meditation or even as a recovery aid for those battling opioid addiction. Regular users of kratom report these benefits:

Stimulative effects
Enhanced focus and concentration
Improvement of mood and well-being
Pain relief
Enhanced sleep
Euphoria

Corynoxeine is a naturally occurring alkaloid present in kratom.

What is Corynoxeine?

Corynoxeine is a naturally occurring alkaloid that’s found in kratom, although it’s also found in Uncaria rhynchophylla, more commonly called Cat’s Claw. Corynoxeine is part of a broader family of oxindole alkaloids present in kratom. Unfortunately, there hasn’t been much research related to corynoxeine and its presence in kratom.

Antioxidant Properties of Corynoxeine

Corynoxeine shares some similarities with other oxindole alkaloids present in kratom, namely corynantheidine and corynoxine. While it doesn’t contribute to kratom’s opioid-like effects, it’s believed to be an effective antioxidant. The role of antioxidants is to neutralize unstable molecules (free radicals) that can cause cellular damage. Cellular damage can increase aging and contribute to severe deseases like cancer. By helping to remove these free radicals, corynoxeine could help to protect the body.

Other Possible Health Benefits of Coryoxeine

Although there’s little clinical research conducted on the benefits of coryoxeine that’s been specifically extracted from kratom, it does show some promise past its benefit as an antioxidant. Coryoxeine could also provide other health benefits.

Corynoxeine's antioxidant properties may also improve brain function and heart health.

Neuroprotection and Brain Health

Coryoxeine’s role as an antioxidant extends to possibly improving brain function. As a neuroprotective agent, this alkaloid could help brain cells from being damaged by free radicals. Oxidative stress can cause neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other forms of dementia.

Anti-inflammatory Effects

Coryoxeine is believed to have some anti-inflammatory properties. Since chronic inflammation is the root cause of many different health issues (arthritis, heart disease), corynoxeine may help lower the risk of chronic inflammatory conditions. By neutralizing harmful molecules that cause inflammation, it could be beneficial to an individual’s overall health.

Cardiovascular Health

Some research suggests that coryoxeine can help to improve heart health. Its ability to inhibit the growth of vascular smooth muscle cells could prevent the body from narrowing of arteries after injury, which in turn could help to lower the risks of heart attacks and strokes. Coryoxeine’s abilities to remove free radicals and reduce inflammation also plays a role in improving cardiovascular health.

Cellular Protection: Preventing Cellular Damage and Aging

Some researchers believe that the winning combination of coryoxeine’s abilities could be beneficial in slowing down the aging process. This, however, is merely a thought, and much more research is needed before drawing such a conclusion.

Corynoxeine and Kratom

Most research into this Southeast Asia tree’s miraculous properties focuses on its two main alkaloids, not corynoxeine. Some studies suggest it could be beneficial as an antioxidant, but more research is necessary. Kratom has been a hotly debated topic in the West, and without intensive research, its benefits cannot be fully understood.