Common Name:

General Information

Mitragyna speciosa is a large, briefly deciduous or evergreen tree, growing 10 - 30 metres tall with a bole 60 - 100cm in diameter[].
The plant is often used medicinally in parts of southeast Asia, where it is also used as a substitute for opium[]. It is cultivated for its leaves in Thailand, Myanmar and Vietnam[, ].

Known Hazards

The leaves are habit-forming, and extended use leads to anorexia, weight loss, darkened and dry skin, and in some cases even to psychosis[]. In Myanmar, the leaves are known to induce stupor when taken in case of an overdose[].

Botanical References

Range

Southeast Asia - Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, New Guinea.

Habitat

Open savannah and secondary forest, at low elevations[]. In Borneo, it is usually encountered in swamp and riverine forests which are periodically flooded, where it is one of the dominant species colonizing vegetation on old ox-bow riverbeds[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Semi-deciduous Tree
Height	20.00 m
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The leaves are commonly used medicinally within the plants natural range, and the plant is also cultivated outside its range in Myanmar and Vietnam[]. Care should be exercised, however, since overdoses can cause vomiting and diarrhoea[]. The leaves are habit-forming, and extended use leads to anorexia, weight loss, darkened and dry skin, and in some cases even to psychosis[]. In Myanmar, the leaves are known to induce stupor when taken in case of an overdose[].
Mitragyna speciosa is well known for the presence of a series of (monoterpenoid) indole alkaloids, which are biochemically derived from the amino acid tryptophan. The best known compounds, isolated from the leaves, are mitragynine and mitraphylline. Besides indole alkaloids, several flavonoids have been isolated from the leaves, e.g. Apigenin, astragalin, cosmosin, hyperoside and also the polyphenols kaempferol, quercetin and rutin[].
The pharmacological activities of mitragynine (one of the indole alkaloids) have been quite well investigated. Its pain-relieving activity, after oral administration at a dose of 200 mg/kg, was comparable to that of morphine administered at a dose of 5 mg/kg[]. The mechanisms of the actions were evaluated using different opioid receptor antagonists. These results indicate that mitragynine can induce pain relief by acting in the brain. Mitragynine was 10 times less potent than morphine, and furthermore did not show any effect on the smooth muscle contraction induced by acetylcholine or histamine[].


The leaves are considered to be locally anaesthetic, anthelmintic, hallucinogenic, hypotensive and stimulant[].
They have been used to treat a wide range of conditions including chronic cases of hypertension; diabetes mellitus; digestive disorders such as diarrhoea, dysentery or stomach-ache; and to expel worms from children[].
Applied externally, the pounded leaves are used to poultice wounds[]. The leaves, heated with those of Blumea balsamifera, Morinda citrifolia and Oroxylum indicum, are applied hot to an enlarged spleen[].
The leaves can cause hallucinations and euphoria[]. They are chewed as a substitute for opium in some areas[, ]. They are reputed to act as a stimulant to help one endure fatigue and go long periods without food[]. In addition to chewing the leaves or drinking the infusion, the residue may be dehydrated and smoked, or the syrup smoked in a pipe[].

Other Uses

The wood can be used for triplex and boxing[].

Propagation

Seed -

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