Kratom leaf
Kratom has been traditionally used in regions such as Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia, but was discovered by Western civilization during the 19th century. Besides Kratom, in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands it also goes by the names krathom, ithang, biak biak, ketum, kakuam, and in southern regions, thom. In these areas kratom has a history of use by laborers and in folk medicine for opium dependence and diarrhea.Kratom/Mitragyna speciosa, is a medicinal leaf harvested from a large tree in the Rubiaceae family native to Southeast Asia in the Indochina and Malesia floristic regions.[clarification needed] The plant has been traditionally used for its medicinal properties.[clarification needed] It was first formally documented by the Dutch colonial botanist Pieter Korthals. The genus was given its Mitragyna name by Korthals because the stigmas in the first species he examined resembled the shape of a bishop's mitre. It is botanically related to the Corynanthe, Cinchona and Uncaria genera and shares some similar biochemistry.