Mitragyna Speciosa is a strange, fascinating, and fantastic plant. Unfortunately, it is not well understood. It possesses unique properties that could become the basis for cures to many ailments and far more. This is ground-breaking stuff, and Korth needs our attention to be studied in-depth and available for anyone who wants to use it to treat their illnesses.
However, this extraordinary herb is banned in various states of America without getting the chance of being legalized. This could be because politicians follow advice from organizations that don’t know where they’re getting it wrong.
This article will deeply discuss the great medicinal plant named Mitragyna Speciosa. So be with us till the end to enjoy this roller coaster ride of knowledge.
Physical Features Of Mitragyna Speciosa Tree
Mitragyna Speciosa, a tropical tree of the Rubiaceae family, usually grows 4 to 16 meters in height, depending on its environment and conditions. The tree is native to Southeast Asia, the Philippines, and Papua New Guinea. However, you can also find it in other parts of the world. The fourth tree has grey bark and has a smooth trunk.
The leaves of the tree are dark green and oval or ovate-lanceolate in shape. On average, they are about 100 mm in width and 180 mm in length. The veins are either red, green, or white. A standard fresh leaf weighs 1.7 grams, while a dried leaf weighs 0.43 grams. Yellow, globular flowers of the tree produce up to 120 florets (small flowers in a cluster). It usually bears fruit in a capsule containing many flat seeds.
Environment Needed For Mitragyna Speciosa Growth
Kratom trees thrive in humid environments with high rainfall and plenty of sunlight. In the Indian subcontinent, these trees are typically grown in the country’s southern parts due to the plant’s need for ample rainfall distributed throughout the year.
Ketum trees typically need soil with a pH between 4 and 8. In addition, the plant requires a temperature between 65 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit to flourish. That is why you can find Mitragyna Speciosa trees easily in Southeast Asian countries because the environment and climatic conditions there are ideal for the plant’s growth.
Alkaloid Profile Of Mitragyna Speciosa Leaves
Kratom has been shown to produce varying levels of more than 40 alkaloids due to genetic variations, variations in production, and processing conditions.
Mitragynine is the first and most abundant alkaloid present in the leaves of Mitragyna Speciosa, Korth’s botanical name. In a study published in 1994 in the journal forensic science international, researchers found that mitragynine is the only alkaloid present in concentrations large enough to be detected using routine methods.
In addition to Mitragynine and 7-hydroxy Mitragynine, alkaloids present in Mitragyna Speciosa leaves have been identified as paynantheine, speciogynine, mitraphylline, rhynchophylline, mitralactonal, raubasine/ ajmalicine (raubasidine), corynanthidine, mitraciliatine, ciliaphyllinie, speciociliatine, and stipulating.
These alkaloids work primarily upon the nervous system and directly influence the adrenergic and serotonergic systems and the calming receptors of the brain.
Classification Of Mitragyna Speciosa Plant Based On Colors
The Korth strains are classified into three categories based on the color of veins and the stem present in their leaves. These three colors are Red, Green, and White. Therefore, red-vein strains have red-colored stems and veins, green-veins have green-colored stems and veins and white-vein strain have white-colored stems and veins.
This all comes down to the maturity of the ketum tree throughout its life cycle. White veined leaves come from younger plants, whereas green-veined leaves are found from the plants in the mid of their life cycle. On the other hand, red-veined leaves are from fully matured trees.
Potency Of Mitragyna Speciosa Leaves According To Vein Colors
White-veined Korth is often the mildest and most stimulating among all strains. This variety tends to provide an energy boost without causing sedation or drowsiness. It is ideal for those who wish to feel more focused and alert. This type has a white vein running down the center with green leaves harvested from younger plants.
Green-veined Korth is considered to be somewhere between red-veined and white veined varieties. It provides a balanced blend of energetic and calming effects, making it a good choice for beginners who want something that doesn’t knock them down after their first try.
Red Ketum leaves are known for analgesic effects that help relieve agony in people with chronic conditions. They also provide some energy boost if appropriately taken according to instructions given on labels, such as dosage amounts needed per day.
Major Market Of Mitragyna Speciosa
95% of the global supply of Mitragyna comes from Indonesia. The reason is that Indonesia has laws in place to export ketum legally throughout the world. However, new Indonesian laws have been proposed that might lead to a legal ban on importing or exporting Korth. It’s hard to tell if this ban will be successful or not.
Still, there’s no question that millions of Americans use Kratom: 16 million adults in America use it regularly, and they will be affected badly if this happens in the future. And that is why the American Kratom Association has made efforts to negotiate with the Indonesian government to prevent these laws from passing.
Processing Of Kratom Leaves
The processing of Kratom is quite vital as the process involved determines the level of potency in the final product. The methods used for preparing Kratom are simple yet sophisticated and involve separating the stems from the leaves, drying them under sunlight or artificial lamps, grounding them into a powder form, and then packaging them into bags or containers.
Kratom extracts, however, are made in a completely different way. The leaves are usually boiled until a thicker consistency is achieved, leaving a highly potent resin. Mitragynine and 7-hydroxy Mitragynine alkaloids will be abundant in this resin. Kratom powders can also be used to make extracts.
Mode Of Mitragyna Speciosa Leaf Consumption
Kratom leaves are often chewed or brewed into tea. When preparing tea, lemon juice is usually added to boost the extraction of plant alkaloids, and sugar can be added before drinking to mask the bitter taste of the brew.
Leaves can also be eaten fresh, but they should be separated from the veins first. Then, the masticated leaves are swallowed, followed by a drink of warm water to wash them down. Regular users chew about one to three leaves thrice a day to achieve desired effects. Sugar may be added for taste. To avoid constipation, you should also add salt before chewing the leaves.
Powders, capsules, tablets, and extracts are another way of consuming Speciosa that are highly popular among kratom enthusiasts for their potency.
In the past few years, a homemade ice-cold cocktail known as ‘4×100’ is becoming popular with young people in southern Thailand for its apparent alcohol-mimicking effect. The cocktails are made with three essential ingredients: kratom leaves, a caffeine-containing fizzy drink, and codeine- or diphenhydramine containing cough syrup, to which ice cubes, an antidepressant, an analgesic drug, or an anxiolytic are added.
Can You Grow Your Own Mitragyna Speciosa Tree
Kratom trees are not like apple trees that anyone can grow practically.
Ketum trees require particular conditions, and if these conditions are not met, the tree will die.
The plant needs humid environments that are warm or hot with plenty of rain and shade throughout the year. It can survive in a garden but only if it receives proper care and attention.
The soil has to be rich in organic matter and has to be able to hold moisture.
The soil also has to drain well as mitragyna trees do not like wet feet.
Kratom trees love sunlight, but they thrive in partial shade, especially during the hot summer months.
The trees require temperatures between 65 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius) and 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius).
If you live in a colder climate, you might want to consider growing your kratom plant indoors because if the temperature falls below 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius) for more than a few days, the plant will die.
One important thing for growing a healthy kratom tree is providing plenty of fresh air. Kratom trees thrive in open air and plenty of airflow around their leaves.
Bottom Line
We hope that this article gives you a good overview of what Kratom looks like, where it usually grows, and some of its properties. Although there has been a lot of controversy surrounding this tree, in the end, we believe that further research will show that Kratom is primarily a medicinal plant that shouldn’t be prohibited.
At the very least, we agree with Narayana Peesapaty when he says: “I can’t see any good reason for using laws to regulate usage when you cannot protect against usage in the first place. I think it is best to warn people about the risks rather than ban it.” We look forward to seeing more research done on this excellent fruit from nature to decide best how it fits into our culture moving forward.
