Consumers, law enforcement, politicians, and the like often ask “is kratom the same as tianeptine?” or “is zaza kratom?” The answer is straightforward—kratom and tianeptine are not the same thing—so why do people keep confusing one for the other?
This is Part Two of Harmful Headlines, our four-part series exploring the complexities of tianeptine and kratom products from scientific and cultural perspectives. Part One, What is in Za Za Red Pills? No, It’s Not “Gas Station Heroin” explores tianeptine’s misunderstood pharmacology and the ways in which businesses and the media are misleading consumers.
Tianeptine vs. Kratom: Key Differences
Before we explain the reasons people may muddle and misunderstand products containing tianeptine and products containing kratom, let’s explain where each substance originates, how each one works, and how they differ culturally and legally.
Origins
- Kratom: Kratom is the common name for Mitragyna speciosa, a species of tree native to Southeast Asia. The name also refers to the products made from the leaves of these trees. Companies source a large percentage of the kratom leaf material in kratom powder, kratom tea, and other types of kratom products in Indonesia. The trees thrive in warm, wet environments, so they are difficult to grow in most of North America. Some researchers and hobbyists do grow kratom trees in warm places like Florida or inside greenhouses in colder climates.
- Tianeptine: A synthetic molecule invented in the late 1960s. Pharmaceutical companies have patented it and sold it with trade names such as Stablon, Tynept, and Coaxil.
Mechanisms of Action
- Kratom: Kratom leaves contain multiple psychoactive alkaloids, each of which may act through multiple pathways. The effects of mitragynine, the most abundant alkaloid in kratom, are only partially explained by atypical binding at the mOR. Mitragynine is also active at serotonin and adrenergic receptors, and it modulates dopamine.
- Tianeptine: Shaped like a tricyclic antidepressant (TCA), but it does not work like typical TCAs. Originally thought to be a selective serotonin reuptake enhancer (SSRE), but recent research shows that tianeptine is actually active at the opioid receptors.
Usage and Risks
- Kratom: People commonly use products containing kratom for motivation in place of caffeinated beverages. They are also popular in social settings for mood support, and can be a substitute for alcoholic beverages. A number of kratom consumers utilize kratom to reduce their consumption of other substances. Kratom can cause nausea and dizziness when overconsumed, and it may be habit-forming if consumed regularly.
- Tianeptine: Healthcare professionals typically prescribe tianeptine for depression and anxiety. It can have side effects like constipation and drowsiness, and can be habit-forming. In the U.S., there are case reports of individuals consuming over 10 times the commonly prescribed dosage, and these amounts can have more serious side effects and can be quite physiologically addictive.
Legal Status
- Kratom: Kratom trees and kratom products are legal in many countries. A handful of countries have banned kratom (either entirely or just when the kratom is meant for human consumption). Kratom is federally legal in the United States, but the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet approved it as a food, dietary supplement, or drug. Over a dozen individual U.S. states have enacted regulations. A few U.S. states have instituted kratom bans, such as Indiana, Alabama, and Arkansas.
- Tianeptine: Some countries have approved the compound for use as a prescription medication to treat depression and anxiety, but the FDA has not approved it for medical use in the United States. Companies still sell tianeptine in the U.S., typically as a dietary supplement containing multiple active ingredients. Many states have passed legislation to prohibit the sale and/or possession of such products.
Related: Kratom Legality and Age Restriction Guide
Why Do People Mix Up Kratom and Tianeptine?
Tianeptine has been around for decades and kratom leaves have been consumed by humans for hundreds of years. But in the U.S., most people have only become aware of each of these substances in the last few years.
Just in the past few months, kratom and tianeptine have become closely associated in the media. Manufacturers have formulated, packaged, marketed, and sold these two substances in very similar ways. These similarities make it difficult for consumers, the media, legislators, and others to distinguish between them. Here is the breakdown of the major reasons people may mix these substances up.
1. Tianeptine Products Use Terms and Formulations that Are Common in Other Industries
Tianeptine product names and descriptions closely resemble terms from the kratom industry as well as the marijuana industry.
Product Colors
Tianeptine products have various “colors.” Just like with kratom product colors, the most common tianeptine colors you see on the market are red, white, and green. Additionally, there are some silver products—just as there are some silver, gold, and platinum kratom products.
Related: Where Do Kratom Vein Colors and Strains Really Come From? Exposing Industry Misconceptions
In the kratom world, these colors are “vein colors.” The color does not represent a particular formulation. Instead, it typically indicates the use of particular curing and drying processes. On the other hand, the color of a tianeptine product typically indicates a difference in its formulation.
Formulations
Like kratom, tianeptine is often sold in capsules or liquid shots. Many companies make products with tianeptine and other psychoactive substances. Similarly, there are a growing number of kratom products that are combinations of kratom and other psychoactive substances, such as kava root.
Here are the formulations of a few tianeptine colors from a handful of manufacturers:
- Red tianeptine: Za Za adds Piper methysticum (kava kava) and combretum quadrangular leaf; Peguses adds DL phenylalanine and yagona leaf (yagona is another name for kava).
- White tianeptine: Tianaa adds Combretum quadrangulare leaf, alpha GPC, and CDP choline; Za Za adds ginseng root or Combretum quadrangulare leaf, alpha GPC, and choline bitartrate.
- Green tianeptine: Tianaa adds Combretum quadrangulare leaf.
- Silver tianeptine: Za Za combines kanna, tianeptine, and phenibut.
- Other: Brands like Neptune’s Fix didn’t use colors, but they added kava and magnesium to their tianeptine “elixirs” in unknown quantities.
Keep in mind that these are the substances listed on the bottles’ labels. As detailed in our previous installment on tianeptine, the actual contents of each product may not match what the manufacturers list on the package. The ingredients and labels may change over time as well, so the formulations above may not be accurate in the future.
Names Taken From Other Industries
Za Za is one of the most common tianeptine brand names. The brand name was likely appropriated from the weed world. (Likewise, the trainwreck kratom strain name was presumably taken from the weed industry.)
According to certain cannabis websites, the terms “zaza” or “za za” are used to describe a hybrid mix of the weed strains Gas Station Bob and Scotts OG. The terms can also refer to a range of premium or exotic marijuana strains. In fact, the lingo might originate from “exotic,” which then became “za-tic,” then “za,” and finally “za za.”
These crossovers in naming can create confusion. When consumers go into a shop or search for “zaza” online, they may be led to purchase products with ingredients they weren’t initially interested in.
2. Tianeptine Products Look Very Similar to Kratom Products
Many brands use packaging designs that resemble other products sold in smoke shops, including a few common kratom brands. The black patterned backgrounds, green/red/white accents, bold fonts, and overall feel are incredibly similar.
Brands of all kinds—from pancake brands to deodorant brands to vitamin brands—often copy the style of their industry competitors, so this isn’t a phenomenon specific to tianeptine and kratom. Yet, when you combine the copycat branding with all of the other likenesses we’ve listed, kratom and tianeptine products become more difficult to distinguish.
3. Tianeptine and Kratom Products are Sold in the Same Stores (and Employees May Not Know the Difference)
Many head shops and gas stations sell tianeptine and kratom products side by side. These products are also sold in many of the same online stores.
Let’s Go on a Smoke Shop Field Trip
While writing this article, our team took a trip to our local hemp and vape shop to see how stores present them and get a feel for how employees market them.
When we asked the employee at the hemp shop if they had any Za Za Red, he said “nope.” How about Tianaa? “Nope, no Tianaa.” Do you have Pegasus Red? “Yes, we’ve got Pegasus!”
The third brand name rang bells. The employee gestured towards a range of products in small black bottles with metallic green and red and gold labels, and started to introduce them. “We’ve got OPMS, we’ve got MIT45…”
Flag on the play.
If you’re familiar with kratom, you’ll know that OMPS and MIT45 aren’t tianeptine brands. Plus, Pegasus isn’t a category of products. The products the employee referenced were all kratom extract shots.
Still, when we took a close look and the shelf he pointed to, we did find the Pegasus Red. And to our surprise, we also found Za Za Red as well as Hulu, a kratom tianeptine combo product.
Do you know anything about tianeptine? we asked the employee. “No, but I do know a lot about THC, Delta 8, CBD…” Our sample size was small, but the result of our quasi-experiment was clear: understanding the kratom vs. tianeptine facts can be challenging, even for those who work with these products day in and day out.
3. People May Use Tianeptine and Kratom for Similar Purposes
There is a lot of overlap in the demographics of people that purchase products containing either tianeptine or kratom. Suppliers and retailers often market them for similar purposes, like relaxation or comfort.
As mentioned earlier, the United States Food and Drug Administration has not approved either of these substances as a food, dietary supplement, or drug. Tianeptine companies and kratom companies that market their products using medical claims are breaking the law. The medical benefits they mention have not yet been researched in humans or approved for use in marketing. Be wary of purchasing from companies that are using illegal claims to sell more of their products.
4. Some Companies Sell Both Substances Separately or Sell Kratom Tianeptine Combination Products
At least one company sells a combined kratom tianeptine product: Hulu kratom tianeptine extra strength capsules. These capsules contain 650 milligrams of a proprietary blend of tianeptine and kratom.
Additionally, some brands sell both kratom products and tianeptine products. For example, Neptune’s Fix (a once-popular company that has since recalled their tianeptine elixirs) also sold kratom tablets.
5. Media Sources Don’t Clearly or Accurately Report on Tianeptine or Kratom
The media commonly misconstrues science and policy facts related to both tianeptine products and kratom products.
They also lump all products together—whether they’re talking about crushed-leaf kratom teas or highly concentrated extracts, small amounts of tianeptine or undisclosed amounts of it combined with other substances—in their reporting. This makes it difficult for consumers and healthcare professionals to understand the risks and benefits of each individual product type and serving size.
We cover the harms of inaccurate and sensationalized media reporting on tianeptine and “gas station heroin” in Part One of this series, so head there for more information. We’ll explore the harms of media reporting on kratom-derived products next week in Part Three.
Let’s Set the Tianeptine vs. Kratom Record Straight
While people often confuse tianeptine and kratom due to their overlapping uses, product labeling, media reporting, and industry marketing, they are fundamentally different substances with distinct origins, mechanisms of action, and legal statuses.
Remember that within each substance category, there is a very broad range of product strengths, formulations, and product quality. In addition to understanding the tianeptine vs. kratom distinctions, it is crucial to understand the variations in tianeptine products and the variations in kratom products in order to make informed decisions about consumption.
The difference in effects and risks between one dose of Stablon and one Pegasus Red capsule (which both contain tianeptine), or one plain-leaf kratom capsule and one extra-strength mitragynine extract shot (which are both sourced from kratom leaves), could be more significant than the difference in effects and risks between one plain-leaf kratom capsule and one prescribed dose of Stablon.
We encourage you to share this knowledge with others to help combat misinformation and ensure everyone can navigate these substances safely and effectively.
