Reviewed August 2026 by the Corydalis Labs Technical Team. How we research and review.
The comparison
| 13-OH | Mitragynine | |
|---|---|---|
| Plant | Corydalis yanhusuo | Mitragyna speciosa (kratom) |
| Family | Papaveraceae — poppy family | Rubiaceae — coffee family |
| Alkaloid class | Isoquinoline | Indole |
| Discussed in terms of | Dopaminergic signalling | Opioid receptor activity |
| Typical role | Synergist, 25–40 mg per serving | Primary active |
| Federal status, Aug 2026 | Not scheduled | Not federally scheduled |
| State kratom acts | Outside their scope | Squarely within their scope |
| Age restriction rules | Not triggered by these statutes | Triggered — 21+ and signage requirements in many states |
Why brands combine them
Because they are not doing the same job. Mitragynine is the primary active in most products in this category. 13-OH is a synergist that changes how that primary active presents — reducing sensory harshness, filling out the character, and letting a formulator reach the target at a lower mitragynine inclusion.
A brand choosing between them is asking the wrong question. The brands doing well with 13-OH are using it to make their mitragynine product better, or building a separate kratom-free line alongside it. How MIT + 13 works in practice.
The legal difference matters more than the chemical one
Mitragynine is the trigger for state kratom acts. Those statutes define their scope around Mitragyna speciosa and its alkaloids, and a product containing mitragynine falls within them — with the age restrictions, labelling requirements, and in some jurisdictions the outright bans that follow.
13-OH does not trigger those statutes, because it is not from that plant. A product with 13-OH and no kratom material sits outside them entirely. State-by-state detail.
The strategic implication
You can build two product lines from one supplier relationship: a differentiated mitragynine line for the customers and channels you already have, and a kratom-free line for the retailers who have dropped the category. Most brands we work with end up doing exactly that.
Common questions
No. It comes from Corydalis yanhusuo, an unrelated plant in the poppy family. It contains no Mitragyna speciosa material and is not made from any kratom alkaloid.
You can build products with no mitragynine — that is the kratom-free route, usually combining 13-OH with kava and kanna, or with a stimulant. It will not reproduce a mitragynine product’s profile, so treat it as a different product rather than a substitution. The kratom-free path.
Yes. The mitragynine is still present, so whatever applies to it in your markets continues to apply. Adding 13-OH does not create an exemption.