Description of kratom first emerged in 19th century by Pieter Willem botanist who by then worked for east India Company. He described it that the plant was in use in Malaysia to replace opium when they could not afford it or when it was not available. In 1907, method of consuming it included drinking as a concoction and smoking it or by chewing it. Its medication value emerged after it was tested at university of Edinburgh in 1921. Then, the uses included psychoactive and treatment of diarrhea and fever, also used as poultice and ointments. In 1940, three more alkaloids were tested and confirmed to exist in the plant. Several researches continued until 1943 when the government of Thailand passed the act making possession and sale illegal, this included cutting down the tree to implement the law and the act. The main reason why it was cut down was because; the users were using it to replace opium, which in short reduced the tax generation by the government. This move by the government was to continue benefiting from opium distribution which was more profitable. Nowadays the best place to buy kratom is the internet as Kratom is available all over the world, and is soon to be celebrated rather than illegal.
Description
This plant species is called mitragyna speciosa, usually grow to height 12 ft, and 15ft wide, but the height depend on the region. The tree can either be evergreen or deciduous and this depends on the climate and the environment which it grows. The stem of this tree is erect and branching. The leaves are dark green color is estimated to grow over 7 inches; the leaves are ovate in shape and experience opposite growth pattern. Three tree flowers are yellow and round in shape, which grow in cluster. They are also elliptic and smaller towards the end of the branch lets and pointed at the tips. Calyx tube of this plant species is short and shaped like a cup, with lobes that are round. Corolla tubes are five millimeters long and three millimeter alongside the lobes and smooth.
Chemical Composition of Kratom
It is believed that there are more than forty compounds in kratom plant, which include, alkaloids,mitragynine, mitraphylline and seven hydroxymitragynine and mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, other recognizable ingredients include, raubasine and yohimbe such as corynantheidine. It also contains at least one element of alkaloid which is calcium channel blocker, which is also responsible for NMDA reduction. Amount of mitragynine in the leaves is dependent on highly many factors, with one major one being the location of the tree. When the tree is grown elsewhere, the level of concentration tends to be less concentrated or nil. Analysis of the product market indicates that the leave contains at least, mitragynine of about 1-6%, hydroxymirtrogynine of about 1%. Chemical composition of mitragynine incorporate tryptamine nucleus and these may the cause of molecules seen in the serotonin and adrenergic components. in the components of mitragynine and phenolic methyl, it is either considered so strong according to some studies. However, pharmacokinetics in the plant species has not been studied and issues that relate to half-life, protein binding components and other elements such as elimination is not recognized and known.
