kratom

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• kratom

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Nauclea luzoniensis
• Stephegyne speciosa

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Gentianaales, it is further categorized into the family Rubiaceae. Ultimately, its scientific identification is defined by the genus Mitragyna.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a widespread distribution across several key regions in Southeast Asia. Within the Indo-China region, its presence is documented in Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Moving toward the Malesia zone, the species can also be found throughout Borneo. Additionally, it is distributed across the Malay peninsula. Together, these areas highlight the tropical habitat essential for its natural growth.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Mitragyna speciosa is characterized by its status as a perennial species, allowing it to persist in its ecosystem over many years through successive growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, the plant maintains its photosynthetic organs on elevated woody branches that remain above the ground level, even during unfavorable environmental conditions. This phanerophyte life form is further supported by its structural development, which ensures its survival and continued growth within its tropical habitat.

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Mitragyna speciosa is characterized by its growth form as a woody tree, which functions as a self-supporting structure rather than a climber or vine. As a terrestrial species, it is neither aquatic nor an epiphyte, growing independently in its environment without parasitic tendencies. The plant reaches significant dimensions, with an average height of approximately 20 m and the potential to reach a maximum height of up to 25 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

25 m

Plant height mean:

20 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Mitragyna speciosa is characterized by a standard metabolic framework typical of many tropical woody perennials. It utilizes the C3 photosynthetic pathway, a process where carbon dioxide is fixed directly into a three-carbon compound during the Calvin cycle, which is well-suited to the humid, shaded, and high-moisture environments in which the species typically thrives. Furthermore, this plant is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it does not possess a symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form, and instead relies on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium from the soil through its root system.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Mitragyna speciosa has 3 reported plant parts identified across 21 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, root, stem.

Leaf

1. Planta medica
2. Substance abuse and rehabilitation
3. Journal of basic and clinical physiology and pharmacology
4. Cannabis and cannabinoid research
5. Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry

Root

1. Journal of natural products

Stem

1. Journal of natural products

Chemicals

Mitragyna speciosa has 46 reported phytochemicals identified across 21 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include MITRAGYNINE, 7-Hydroxymitragynine, Speciogynine, Paynantheine, Speciociliatine.

MITRAGYNINE

1. Dr. Duke
2. Drug and alcohol dependence
3. ACS chemical biology
4. Physiology & behavior
5. Planta medica

7-Hydroxymitragynine

1. Drug and alcohol dependence
2. Planta medica
3. PloS one
4. Journal of analytical toxicology
5. Frontiers in plant science

Speciogynine

1. Dr. Duke
2. PloS one
3. Chemico-biological interactions
4. Frontiers in plant science
5. Journal of the American Chemical Society

Paynantheine

1. Dr. Duke
2. PloS one
3. Chemico-biological interactions
4. Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry
5. Frontiers in plant science

Speciociliatine

1. Dr. Duke
2. PloS one
3. Chemico-biological interactions
4. Frontiers in plant science
5. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Corynantheidine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Chemico-biological interactions
3. PloS one
4. Frontiers in plant science
5. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis

Mitraphylline

1. Dr. Duke
2. PloS one
3. Frontiers in plant science
4. Drug testing and analysis
5. Journal of natural products

Ajmalicine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Plant-environment interactions (Hoboken, N.J.)
3. Journal of natural products
4. Natural product communications

Corynoxine

1. PloS one
2. Frontiers in plant science
3. Journal of natural products
4. Drug testing and analysis

Isocorynantheidine

1. PloS one
2. Frontiers in plant science
3. Drug testing and analysis
4. Natural product communications

Activities

Mitragyna speciosa has 92 reported activities identified across 21 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Stimulant, Analgesic, Psychoactive, Antioxidant, Sedative.

Stimulant

1. Substance abuse and rehabilitation
2. Expert opinion on drug metabolism & toxicology
3. PloS one
4. International journal of legal medicine
5. Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Expert opinion on drug metabolism & toxicology
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology
4. Journal of investigative medicine high impact case reports
5. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Psychoactive

1. Planta medica
2. Journal of psychoactive drugs
3. Cannabis and cannabinoid research
4. International journal of legal medicine
5. Addiction biology

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP
4. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
5. International journal of microbiology

Sedative

1. Dr. Duke
2. Substance abuse and rehabilitation
3. International journal of legal medicine

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of microbiology

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie

Anxiolytic

1. Expert opinion on drug metabolism & toxicology
2. The Yale journal of biology and medicine

CNS-Stimulant

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of legal medicine

Narcotic

1. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin
2. Scientific reports

Medicinal Uses

Mitragyna speciosa has 57 reported medicinal uses identified across 21 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include pain, chronic pain, fatigue, depression, anxiety.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations