PubMed · 2026-04-17
Researchers used enzymes to chemically modify mitragynine — the primary active compound in kratom leaves — creating new molecular variants to probe how they interact with opioid receptors. The goal is to identify structural features that could yield safer, less addictive pain medicines derived from a natural plant source.
Biocatalytic (enzyme-driven) halogenation and oxidation successfully generated novel structural analogs of mitragynine without traditional synthetic chemistry
Mitragynine was confirmed as the predominant alkaloid in kratom with measurable μ-opioid receptor (MOR) binding activity
Enzyme-based modification offers a more selective and sustainable route to exploring natural-product alkaloid pharmacology compared to conventional chemical synthesis
