title: Phytochemical characterization of the leaves of Mitragyna speciosa grown in U.S.A.
abstract: Mitragyna speciosa (Rubiaceae) has traditionally been used in the tropical regions of Asia, Africa and Indonesia as a substitute for opium. Indole alkaloids are the most common compounds that have been isolated. We investigated the constituents of the leaves of M. speciosa that was grown at the University of Mississippi. Several alkaloids were isolated, including ajmalicine, corynantheidine, isomitraphylline, mitraphylline, paynantheine, isocorynantheidine, 7-hydroxymitragynine and mitragynine, but their percentages were lower than those in a commercial Thai sample of "kratom". In addition, we isolated the flavonoid epicatechin, a saponin daucosterol, the triterpenoid saponins quinovic acid 3-O-beta-D-quinovopyranoside, quinovic acid 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside, as well as several glycoside derivatives including 1-O-feruloyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside, benzyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside, 3-oxo-alpha-ionyl-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside, roseoside, vogeloside, and epivogeloside. This is the first report of the last group of compounds having been isolated from a Mitragyna species. Biological studies are currently underway to test these compounds for opioid activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicinal Chemistry & National Center for Natural Products Research, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: León
authors.forename: Eman
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Habib
authors.forename: Jessica E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Adkins
authors.forename: Edward B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Furr
authors.forename: Christopher R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: McCurdy
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Cutler
mesh_terms: D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D006027:Glycosides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D032065:Mitragyna / Q000737:chemistry*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D012503:Saponins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D006027:Glycosides; D012503:Saponins; D014315:Triterpenes