What Is Mitragynine? A Plain Guide

Mitragynine is a naturally occurring monoterpenoid indole alkaloid and the predominant alkaloid in the leaves of Mitragyna speciosa, the tree commonly known as kratom. It has the molecular formula C23H30N2O4 and belongs to the corynanthe class of indole alkaloids.

Where it comes from

Mitragyna speciosa is a tree in the Rubiaceae family native to Southeast Asia. Mitragynine is consistently reported as the most abundant alkaloid in the leaf alkaloid fraction, sitting alongside a group of related diastereomers and analogues that includes speciociliatine, speciogynine, and paynantheine.

Its structure

Structurally, mitragynine combines an indole nucleus with a quinolizidine ring system, and carries a methoxy group on the aromatic ring together with a beta-methoxyacrylate side chain. Its relatives in the leaf share that same indole scaffold and differ from it in stereochemistry or oxidation state, which is why several of them are diastereomers with the identical molecular formula.

How it is identified

Mitragynine is resolved from the other Mitragyna alkaloids by chromatographic separation and confirmed by spectroscopic analysis. Standardizing a product to mitragynine, rather than shipping whole-leaf material, depends on that measurement: you can only standardize what you can separate and quantify.

In tablet form

We standardize mitragynine into scored tablets and supply them in bulk, solvent-free and DCM-free, tested every lot. For the full chemistry, including a side-by-side with speciociliatine, see our science hub.