Advisor: Emanuele Alves, Ph.D., Department of Forensic Science 

Kratom is an herbal product obtained from the plant Mitragyna speciosa and an emerging substance with potential for abuse and addiction because its metabolites act on the mu opioid receptor (MOR) as agonists. In recent years, the use of kratom for pain relief, particularly as a substitute for opioids has increased in the U.S. For example, 2.3 million Americans misused kratom products to mitigate opioid withdrawal symptoms in 2021 so far. The overgrowth of kratom industry is mainly associated with the fact that kratom is sold as a food supplement, giving consumers a false sensation of safety. Meanwhile, the manufacturing, sale, or possession of kratom products is not currently regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Epidemiological data show that 25% of opioid users in the U.S. are HIV-1 positive and opioid abuse is a risk factor for HIV-1 infection. In fact, chronic use of kratom and antiretroviral drugs concomitantly are common among individuals who share both morbidities. Thus, the aim of my project is to evaluate the capacity of kratom alkaloids to modify the activity of antiretroviral drugs used to treat HIV-1 infections.