Extraction Process

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The first step in the extraction process involves reflux condensation, where kratom plant material is combined with methanol. This process takes place in a specialized apparatus where the mixture is heated and sonicated, causing the methanol to evaporate and then condense back into the mixture. This cycle ensures thorough extraction of mitragynine and other alkaloids from the plant material. After sufficient refluxing, the plant material is filtered out and discarded, leaving behind the methanol mixture containing the extracted compounds. This mixture is then placed back into distillation.

After the extraction, the next step is to set up for distillation to recover the methanol. The methanol is carefully heated to its boiling point, causing it to vaporize. These vapors are then collected and condensed back into liquid methanol, leaving behind the crude extract. This step is crucial as it allows for the reuse of methanol and ensures that only the desired alkaloids remain in the crude extract.

The crude extract is then acidified using acetic acid. Acidifying the solution helps in converting alkaloids into their salt forms, making them more soluble in water and less soluble in non-polar solvents like hexane.  The mixture is then filtered of solids and impurities and washed with hexane to remove unwanted fats and lipophilic impurities from the extract. This washing step is repeated several times to ensure the purity of the crude alkaloid extract.

In the final step, the acidified extract is treated with dilute sodium hydroxide to raise the pH, a process known as basification. This causes the alkaloids to precipitate out of the solution as they convert back to their freebase forms, which are insoluble in water. Any methanol remaining from distillation remains in solution. The precipitated alkaloids are then collected through filtration, resulting in the crude, full-spectrum extract. This is then dried thoroughly in a dehydrator, which removes any volatile solvent and moisture from the final product. This is the full spectrum extract available on our site, ready for further refinement or use in various applications.

This procedure was derived from the following scientific research papers, and optimized for mass production:

1)  Mitragynine: a review of its extraction, identification, and purification methods

2)  Enhancing extraction yield and purity through sequential solvent extraction

3)  Mitragynine Chemistry: Extraction, Synthesis, and Clinical Effects