ABSTRACT
Mitragyna (Rubiaceae) is a small Afro-Asian genus comprising nine species: four African and ve Asian. The genus Mitragyna consists of trees growing exclusively in swampy humid territories in the tropical and subtropical regions (Razamandimbison and Bremer 2002). Some of these plants have been used for centuries by the local people as medicine for a variety of diseases such as fever, malaria, diarrhea, cough, and muscular pains (Shellard and Phillipson 1964). M. speciosa, M. hirsuta, M. tubulosa, M. diversifolia, M. parvifolia, and M. rotundifolia are commonly found in the Malay Peninsula (Sukrong et al. 2007). M. speciosa is known by various names, including “kratom” in Thailand (Burkill et al. 1935) and “biak biak” and “ketum” in Malaysia (Chan et al. 2005). The leaves of M. speciosa (Figure 6.1) have been used for centuries in Thailand for their known opioid-like effects (Vicknasingam et al. 2010), being chewed, smoked, or drunk as a tea. It has been used for the treatment of cough, hypertension, diarrhea, depression, analgesia, and fever reduction, and in relieving muscle pain associated with opiate withdrawal (Jansen and Prast 1988). The plant is known to possess unusual dual properties resulting in analgesia
6.1 Introduction .................................................................................... 77 6.2 Chemical Constituents .................................................................... 78
6.2.1 Alkaloids .............................................................................. 78 6.2.2 Flavonoids and Polyphenolic Compounds ........................... 85 6.2.3 Triterpenoids and Triterpenoid Saponins ............................. 85 6.2.4 Miscellaneous Compounds .................................................. 89
6.3 Conclusion ...................................................................................... 90 References ............................................................................................... 90
and stimulation and reports suggest that M. speciosa possesses antioxidant and antibacterial activities (Parthasarathy et al. 2009). However, due to its narcotic effects, M. speciosa was federally prohibited in Thailand in the 1940s and in Malaysia and Australia in 2003. Despite its listing as a drug of concern by the US Drug Enforcement Administration in 2005, kratom’s popularity persists on the Internet and is now considered one of the top ten “legal highs” in the United States (Microgram Bulletin 2006).
