Kratom
Mitragyna speciosa
Kratom goes by many names – Thang, Kakuam, Thom, Ketum and Biak – but the scientific term is Mitragyna Speciosa. It is a tropical deciduous and evergreen tree from the coffee family (Rubiaceae) , which reaches heights of up to 25 meters. Significant populations of Mitragyna speciosa are found in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Papua New Guinea. It belongs to the Rubiaceae family. This is one of the species-rich families of covered-seed plants and includes many species that are important to humans, such as Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica), Robusta coffee (Coffea canephora), the DMT-containing Psyhotria viridis as well as the woodruff, which is well known in Central Europe ( Galium odoratum).
The Latin species name “speciosa” means “beautiful, well-shaped, special” in German.
Indonesia is the main exporter of Kratom to the European and North American markets. The Indonesian part of Borneo is considered the most important growing area.
Ancient Uses of Kratom
However, there is reason to believe that kratom was also used in ancient times, when agricultural workers chewed its dried or fresh leaves to boost their energy levels and get through a full day of work in the fields. These people were traditionally referred to as kratom eaters, who were known to consume the plant around three to ten times daily.
Aside from consumption, people also use kratom to treat their addictions - morphine, opium and other psychoactive drugs - and to heal wounds by placing the leaves on the injured parts of the body.
The science behind the herb
All about the alkaloids
Kratom is known to contain over 54 different alkaloids, but the two primarily associated with the herb are mitragynine and 7-OH-mitragynine. These are responsible for the herb’s characteristic properties.
Alkaloids are plant organic compounds that contain nitrogen. By interacting with the brain's receptors, they have a wide range of physiological effects on humans and animals.
Kratom powder is made from the dried leaves of the plant. To do this, the leaves are ground into a fine powder, which is ideal as a natural plant color. Kratom comes in different colors, mainly green, red and white, which are caused by the different harvest times. If you would like to learn more about the history, uses or production of kratom, we recommend that you read our detailed article on our website (Go to blog)