Many of the top kratom researchers in the world gathered at the University of Florida College of Pharmacy’s Orlando campus for the Fourth International Kratom Symposium, Feb. 4-7. The event brought together scientists, industry leaders, and regulators to exchange the latest research findings and explore strategies for responsible regulation of kratom.
Nearly 100 attendees from Southeast Asia, Europe, and North America participated in the invitation-only symposium. According to event organizers, having a significant international presence deepens the knowledge and understanding of kratom among scientists worldwide.
“The kratom symposium offers a global perspective on both the scientific and the regulatory progress of kratom,” said Oliver Grundmann, Ph.D., a clinical professor of medicinal chemistry in the UF College of Pharmacy and a member of the symposium’s organizing committee. “UF has played a leading role in kratom research with several faculty conducting National Institute on Drug Abuse-funded studies. By hosting this symposium, UF strengthens collaboration within the research community and helps advance our collective understanding of kratom.”
Kratom is a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia, where its leaves have been used in herbal medicine for more than a century. In recent years, it has gained popularity in the U.S. for its potential effects as an energy booster, pain reliever, and aid for opioid withdrawal.
With kratom products widely available across the U.S., discussions around regulation and safety have intensified. Scientists are exploring everything from its growing conditions to its alkaloid composition, aiming to understand its potential therapeutic benefits through ongoing research.
Opening the symposium, Jack Henningfield, Ph.D., a leading expert on kratom safety and addiction from Johns Hopkins University and Pinney Associates, emphasized the growing scientific interest in kratom. He praised researchers for a decade of remarkable progress, noting that kratom-related publications grew in PubMed from 22 in 2015 to over 140 by 2024, with most originating from grant-funded institutions. Henningfield credited this surge in research to the “NIDA effect,” where funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse spurred a wave of scientific studies.
“Kratom research has thrived through interdisciplinary, cross-cultural, and global collaborations that embrace new ideas and approaches, as demonstrated by this conference,” Henningfield said. “The kratom community is a passionate group of researchers committed to serving humanity.”
More than 40 presentations were delivered during the symposium covering pre-clinical and clinical kratom research, along with discussions on quality standards, regulation, policy, and supply safety. Organizers also took a meaningful step toward mentorship by inviting more junior scientists and trainees to present, encouraging their deeper involvement in the field.
“What’s happening here is probably the largest and most diverse gathering of kratom researchers and industry leaders in the world,” said Kirsten Smith, Ph.D., an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins University and a member of the symposium’s organizing committee. “Kratom is a very dynamic area of research that requires scientists from different disciplines to learn from each other.”
During the symposium, the inaugural Champion for Kratom Science Award was presented to Kelly Dunn, chief executive officer of Urban Ice Botanicals, for his continued investment and support of kratom research. “Kelly Dunn was chosen as the inaugural recipient because he was the first individual in the industry to support research by providing kratom raw leaf material at no charge to the researchers and then by backing science through his documentary, ‘A Leaf of Faith,” said Chris McCurdy, Ph.D., a professor and the Frank A. Duckworth Eminent Scholar Chair in the UF College of Pharmacy. “The proceeds from the movie have been invested into research on kratom and allowed for the generation of essential data to gain federal funding. Without his efforts, science would not be where it is today.”
Feb. 4-7, 2025 in Orlando
Fourth International Kratom Symposium
