Definitions: Kratom is the leaf of the mitragyna speciosa plant. The active compounds in kratom we seek to extract are called alkaloids. Our full spectrum extract contains all 20 alkaloids, including mitragynine (hereinafter referred to as “MIT”). MIT is the primary active alkaloid and what we generally associate with the desired effects of kratom. The extract in our products is typically about 60% MIT.

We started Bettr Botanics because we couldn’t find a single kratom gummy that we liked. They tasted bad, made your tongue numb from gross chemical solvents, and weren’t very effective (individually or by the handful!). No matter how good a brand’s other products were, their gummies still sucked! We wonder whether anyone bothered to test for effectiveness before deciding to sell them.

If you’ve tried our kratom extract products, then you’ve experienced the excellent effectiveness and taste. This is due to a superior extraction process called solid-phase microextraction (SPME), which is followed by chromatography for further refinement. The result is a white, granulated full-spectrum extract powder. The extract powder is easily absorbed by the body and mixes well into gummies and shots.

In addition to effectiveness, SPME kratom extract also has the cleanest taste profile available. You’ll still notice the hallmark taste of kratom alkaloids, but none of the awful-tasting residue plaguing extracts produced using more typical solvent-based methods. We believe another sign of the purity is its color, or lack thereof, when added to water. That’s why our kratom extract shots are colorless, not the oily brown or black syrup you stomached before SPME was available.

For completeness, here are descriptions of the other extraction processes we’re aware of:

Maceration, Infusion, Percolation and Decoction: These methods are just slightly different variations of the same concept. You soak dried, grinded, and finely powdered leaves in a liquid solvent, then strain and separate the remaining inert plant material from the solvent. Solvents are typically water, ethanol or ethyl acetate; however, more outdated methods utilized methane or chloroform.

Microwave-Assisted Extraction: This process is comparable to maceration, infusion, percolation and decoction but uses electromagnetic radiation to heat the solvent. The heat increases penetration of the solvent and allows for use of less solvent.

Supercritical Fluid Extraction: Carbon dioxide (and a co-solvent) is heated and pressurized until it reaches a supercritical state, meaning it effectively acts like a liquid and will absorb the alkaloids from plant material.

Sources:

Preparation of Medicinal Plants: Basic Extraction and Fractionation Procedures

Accelerated Solvent Extractions (ASE) of Mitragyna speciosa

Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Extraction of Mitragyna speciosa