(Rubiaceae) Mitragyna rotundifolia (Roxb.) Kuntze

Local name(s): ໂທມ ນ້ຳ (tome nam)

Medicinal use(s): treat nervous conditions; also for lung disease

Part(s) used: stem (stembark; stemwood)

Field Characters: Medium-sized tree, with opposite leaves and round hairy fruits 

Locality: Khammouane Province; Nyomalat District; Tong Kong Village, roadside of Route to MBP at the southern reaches of Nakai Nam Theum National Park. 

Habitat: Tropical rainforest on flat level lands. 

Altitude: 150 m asl. 

Collector(s): O. Souliya, K. Phoulivong, D. Makiem and S. Pimmavong

Collection number(s): Onevilay_YML_073

Collection Date: July 22, 2023

Additional information:  

Voucher specimen is in deposit at the Field Museum (F) Herbarium, Chicago, USA under accession no. 2336099.

Synonyms, images, taxonomic description: 


Plants of the World onlineFlora of China Vol. 19 Page 218, 219GBIF | Global Biodiversity Information FacilityeFlora of India: Mitragyna rotundifolia

Medicinal properties:



Ahmad I, Prabowo WC, Arifuddin M, et al. Mitragyna Species as Pharmacological Agents: From Abuse to Promising Pharmaceutical Products. Life (Basel) 2022, 12(2):193. doi: 10.3390/life12020193 
Brown PN, Lund JA, Murch SJ. A botanical, phytochemical and ethnomedicinal review of the genus Mitragyna korth: Implications for products sold as kratom. Journal of Ethnopharmacology  2017, volume 202, pages 302-325.41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2017.03.020. 
Gong F, Gu H-p, Xu O, Kang W-y. Genus Mitragyna: Ethnomedicinal uses and pharmacological studies. Phytopharmacology 2012, 3(2) 263-272.  https://naturetrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/enEthnomedicinal-uses-and-pharmacological-studies.pdf 
Chemical composition and biological effects of kratom (Mitragyna speciosa): In vitro studies with implications for efficacy and drug interactions. Sci Rep 2020, 10, 19158. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-76119-w