Kanna vs Kratom: Effects, Safety and Legal Status Compared

Kanna and kratom sound alike, both come from plants and both are sold for mood and energy, so they are often confused. They are very different. This guide compares kanna vs kratom on how each works, what they feel like, their safety risks and their legal status, so you can see why one should not be used as a substitute for the other.

The short answer: kanna (Sceletium tortuosum) is a South African succulent whose alkaloids act on serotonin and support a calm, positive mood. Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is a Southeast Asian tree whose alkaloids act on the brain's opioid receptors, producing stimulant-like effects at low doses and sedation at higher doses. Kratom carries a risk of dependence and withdrawal; kanna does not act on opioid receptors. The main safety issue with kanna is combining it with antidepressants or other serotonin-raising products.

Key Takeaways

• Different plants, different chemistry: kanna works through serotonin and PDE4; kratom works mainly through opioid receptors.
• Different feel: kanna is subtle and calming; kratom ranges from stimulating to sedating depending on the dose.
• Different risks: regular kratom use can lead to dependence and withdrawal; kanna's key risk is serotonin interactions.
• Different legal picture: neither is federally controlled in the US, but kratom is banned or restricted in several states and concentrated kratom products are being moved toward Schedule I.
• Do not mix them: combining two mood-altering plants makes effects and interactions harder to predict.

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Kanna Nasal Spray

Kanna with theanine for mood, calm, and focus, used as needed.

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Third-party tested ingredients. Vegan, non-GMO, made in the USA.

Kanna vs Kratom at a Glance

What Is Kanna?

Kanna is a low-growing succulent that the San and Khoikhoi peoples of South Africa fermented and chewed for mood, social ease and endurance. Its alkaloids slow the reuptake of serotonin and inhibit an enzyme called PDE4. In small human trials, a standardized extract at 25 mg a day was well tolerated and supported a calmer response to stress and sharper mental flexibility. Our full guide, what is kanna, covers the research, forms, dosing and safety.

What Is Kratom?

Kratom comes from the leaves of Mitragyna speciosa, a tree native to Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, where workers have long chewed the leaves to fight fatigue. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, its main alkaloids, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, activate mu-opioid receptors, the same receptors targeted by opioid pain medicines, although their effects only partly resemble those drugs. At lower doses people report more energy and alertness; at higher doses, relaxation and sedation.

How They Work Differently

• Kanna: leaves more serotonin available between nerve cells and raises cAMP signaling through PDE4 inhibition. This supports mood and calm focus without acting on opioid receptors. In brain imaging, a single dose reduced the amygdala's reaction to threatening images.
• Kratom: its alkaloids bind opioid receptors and also act on adrenergic receptors, which explains why the same plant can feel stimulating at one dose and sedating at another. Mitragynine is partly converted to the more potent 7-OH in the body.

The two are often compared for mood, but they act on completely different brain systems. That is why kanna is not a kratom substitute, and why the risks are so different.

What They Feel Like

Kanna is usually described as subtle: less inner tension, a warmer, more open mood and a clear head, often most noticeable in social or high-pressure moments. Kratom's effects are more dose-dependent and can be stronger, from a coffee-like lift at low doses to heavy relaxation at higher ones. Because kanna works through serotonin rather than opioid pathways, it does not produce the same kind of sedation.

Safety Compared

Kratom Safety

The US Food and Drug Administration has warned consumers not to use kratom and has approved no medical uses for it. NIDA notes that regular use can lead to mild to moderate withdrawal symptoms, that long-term heavy use may be linked to serious liver problems, and that a small number of deaths have been linked to kratom products, nearly all involving other substances or contaminants. Concentrated and synthetic 7-OH products are a particular concern; the FDA calls them "hiding in plain sight".

Kanna Safety

In a three-month trial, standardized kanna at 8 and 25 mg a day was well tolerated with no changes in routine blood tests. Mild headache, stomach upset or drowsiness are possible. The key rule: do not combine kanna with SSRIs, SNRIs, MAOIs, other antidepressants, 5-HTP, St. John's wort or other serotonin-raising substances, because this can raise the risk of serotonin syndrome. Avoid kanna if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or under 18, and check with a clinician if you take prescription medication.

Can You Take Kanna and Kratom Together?

We do not recommend it. Both affect mood and alertness, and stacking mood-altering plants makes side effects and interactions harder to predict. If you currently use kratom and want to stop, speak with a healthcare professional rather than switching products on your own.

Legal Status

• Kanna: not a controlled substance under US federal law. Louisiana's 2005 plant law lists the Mesembryanthemum genus, kanna's older botanical name. Rules in other countries vary.
• Kratom: not federally scheduled as a plant, but several states and some cities ban or restrict it. In July 2026 the DEA moved to temporarily place 7-OH above a set threshold, and three synthetic derivatives, in Schedule I; officials said the action is not aimed at natural kratom leaf.

Laws change, so check the current rules where you live before buying either plant.

Which Should You Choose?

If you are looking for gentle, as-needed support for a calm and positive mood, kanna is the better studied option at supplement doses and does not act on opioid receptors. It is not right for everyone, particularly anyone on antidepressants. For help picking a form and checking quality, see our guide to the best kanna supplement.

If you are also weighing kava, the South Pacific root drink, see kanna vs kava for how the two plants and their safety concerns differ.

Our Kanna Nasal Spray

We make Kanna Nasal Spray, which pairs kanna extract with theanine in a spray used as needed, for moments when you want to feel more relaxed, present and open. It comes in three strengths and is made with third-party tested ingredients. For how to use it, see how to use kanna nasal spray, and for stressful stretches, kanna nasal spray for stress.

Sources

• Harvey AL, et al. Pharmacological actions of the South African medicinal and functional food plant Sceletium tortuosum and its principal alkaloids. J Ethnopharmacol. 2011. PubMed 21798331
• Chiu S, et al. Proof-of-Concept Randomized Controlled Study of Cognition Effects of the Proprietary Extract Sceletium tortuosum (Zembrin) Targeting Phosphodiesterase-4 in Cognitively Healthy Subjects. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2014. PubMed 25389443
• Terburg D, et al. Acute effects of Sceletium tortuosum (Zembrin), a dual 5-HT reuptake and PDE4 inhibitor, in the human amygdala and its connection to the hypothalamus. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2013. PubMed 23903032
• Nell H, et al. A randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled trial of Extract Sceletium tortuosum (Zembrin) in healthy adults. J Altern Complement Med. 2013. PubMed 23441963

FAQs

Is kanna the same as kratom?

No. Kanna is a South African succulent that acts on serotonin. Kratom is a Southeast Asian tree whose alkaloids act on opioid receptors. They have different effects, risks and legal status.

Is kanna an opioid?

No. Kanna's alkaloids work mainly by slowing serotonin reuptake and inhibiting PDE4. They do not act on opioid receptors.

Is kanna safer than kratom?

They carry different risks. Kanna was well tolerated in small clinical trials and has no reported dependence, but it must not be combined with serotonergic medicines. Kratom has been linked to dependence, withdrawal and, with heavy use, liver problems.

Is kratom legal in the US?

Kratom is not federally scheduled as a plant, but several states and cities ban or restrict it, and concentrated 7-OH products are being moved toward Schedule I.

Can kanna help me stop using kratom?

Anyone who wants to stop using kratom should speak with a healthcare professional rather than switching to another product.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This content is for education and is not medical advice. Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Talk with a healthcare provider before starting a new supplement if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or taking medication.

Featured in this article

Kanna Nasal Spray

Kanna with theanine for mood, calm, and focus, used as needed.

Shop Kanna Nasal Spray

Third-party tested ingredients. Vegan, non-GMO, made in the USA.