KRATOM ORIGINS & HISTORY: WHERE DOES KRATOM COME FROM?

Kratom is gaining mainstream attention, showcasing its immense potential, and becoming an ideological battleground in the US. Analyzing its past is vital to understanding its future.

Join us to discover a brief history of kratom. We discuss its origins, global spread, traditional and modern uses, and prospects.

What is kratom?

Imagine a hot, humid, lush equatorial jungle. In the midst of it sits a tall tree with smooth, gray bark and large, oval leaves. Locals call it ketum, ithang, thom, and biak. The modern community knows it as kratom.

What plant does kratom come from, and how and why do we consume it?

Kratom goes by the Latin name Mitragyna speciosa. It’s an evergreen tree native to tropical Southeast Asian jungles. It rapidly grows in fertile rainforest lands, reaching 20 feet in height in two years of sprouting.

Fun fact: Kratom belongs to the Rubiaceae family—the same plant family as coffee. Many members of this family have a long history of traditional use for supporting general wellness.

Wild kratom trees develop a naturally rich alkaloid profile. The leaves contain compounds like mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, which are believed to interact with receptors in the body, supporting a variety of wellness effects.

Kratom is often associated with dual effects depending on serving size: smaller servings are typically described as more energizing, while larger servings are linked to relaxation.

Today, we differentiate between different types of kratom based on color and country.

Kratom leaves have green, vein-streaked blades. These lines are white on young specimens and eventually turn green and red. We get white, green, and red strains depending on their maturity at harvest time.

Kratom is indigenous to Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Papua New Guinea. Each place has a unique soil profile that affects the plant’s chemical composition and makes each strain unique.

When was kratom discovered?

When was kratom discovered outside its native regions, and how did this knowledge spread?

Mitragyna speciosa leaves have been used for centuries throughout Southeast Asia. The plants occurred naturally in the wilderness in Thailand, Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Indonesia. Related species of the genus ranged as far as India and South Africa.

While we don’t know exactly when these communities first utilized kratom, its recorded discovery happened when it was already actively in use.

A Dutch colonial botanist Pieter Willem Korthals first formally described kratom in 1831.

Korthals visited the Malay Archipelago as part of the Commission for Natural Sciences of the Dutch East India Service. His task was to identify valuable native plants to carry westward. His surname accounts for “Korth” as one of the herb’s names.

Kratom’s biological title by Korthals was Stephegyne speciosa, but it got reclassified several times. British surgeon and naturalist George Darby Haviland provided the final (now official) name and classification in 1859.

Scientifically, Edinburgh medicinal chemist Ellen Field first isolated mitragynine from kratom leaves in 1921. A Pittsburgh group led by G.A. Jeffrey characterized its structure in 1964.

In the 1960s, a pharmacy company wanted to develop kratom alkaloids as painkillers to replace morphine. The leaves were scarce in the West, though, which halted the research.

Kratom’s traditional applications sparked these scientific inquiries. So, let’s see how Southeast Asian communities used the herb.

Traditional use and cultivation

Considering where kratom originates from, it’s no surprise its primary uses concern healing. Traditional medicine flourished in the East, and the West has only recently begun taking notes.

In native areas, people chewed fresh leaves or brewed kratom tea as part of their daily routines. It was often used to support energy, appetite, and overall vitality. Extracts were also traditionally used for addressing various general health concerns.

The plant had the most extensive uses in Thailand and Malaysia. Manual laborers chewed on the leaves to increase their endurance during the long work days under the sun. Tea houses served kratom mixed with sweeteners.

Beyond daily use, kratom was used socially and as a part of worship ceremonies. In Thailand, folks served it as a snack to guests. Religious practitioners consumed it in rituals while giving honors to their gods and ancestors.

Another use was making so-called “cow-dung cigars,” a mixture of kratom leaves, tobacco, and dried feces. This method tastes unpleasant and doesn’t deliver its benefits as effectively as oral consumption, so it didn’t persist.

Since kratom had varied uses, people needed plenty of alkaloid-rich leaves to meet the demand. They could harvest some from naturally occurring trees, but controlled cultivation ensured a steadier supply.

Thai farmers began cultivating kratom in the early 20th century. The native climate is ideal for the trees, and the project was successful. Their work inspired other nations, and the practice spread.

Today, most Mitragyna speciosa available to the West comes from Indonesia.

How did kratom spread across the world?

Recorded kratom history begins in Southeast Asia, but the plant didn’t stay contained in its native countries.

Manuscripts show kratom was part of ancient ceremonies beyond Southeast Asia. It spread with religion, reaching as far as Mongolia.

The West first saw kratom after 1831, when Korthals took it to the Netherlands. It proliferated across Europe from there. Global trade sent kratom worldwide in the 20th century.

Western nations relied on Southeast Asia for their kratom supply. This demand wasn’t an economic boom for the East, though.

Kratom cultivation, export, and use were prohibited in Thailand in 1943. This act likely sought to suppress the herbal market. A similar ban happened in Malaysia in 1952, but use remained widespread.

Today, commercial kratom grows in Southeast Asia with heightened regulations, and many countries import it from these regions.

How did kratom get to the United States?

Kratom didn’t get to the United States due to colonization. While European nations explored it in the 1800s, it only appeared stateside a century later.

Southeast Asian immigrants brought kratom to the US in the 20th century. It trickled in slowly at first, expanding after legal discrimination against Asians ended in 1965. We assume most entered in the 1980s and 90s.

Kratom started as an underground phenomenon in the US, which changed after 2004. Most journal articles got published after that year and even more appeared after 2012.

American kratom first flourished within the Southeast Asian diaspora. It eventually got popularized outside these communities due to its reputation for supporting energy, focus, and relaxation.

Kratom picked up steam as the internet (specifically eCommerce) boomed. Vendors started importing the leaves, and the substance gained traction in health and wellness communities.

The US first imported the herb’s leaves, but this solution would lose freshness during shipping. Kratom powder became an excellent long-lasting alternative.

Current use in the 21st century

The kratom plant comes from Southeast Asia, and its properties make it invaluable to Western users. Its traditional applications map well into the modern context.

In many ways, kratom uses remain unchanged to this day. Much like past generations of workers, modern individuals chew the leaves or brew kratom tea to inspire optimism, promote a sense of balance, and support relaxation.

Today, users often describe that smaller servings can feel uplifting, while larger servings are associated with calming effects. The onset is typically reported within about ten minutes, with experiences lasting anywhere from 2 to 6 hours. Many find it helps them feel more productive, sociable, and creative, while others enjoy it as part of their evening wind-down routine.

In Southeast Asia, kratom remains a familiar botanical, particularly in Thailand and Malaysia. In Thailand, kratom's traditional use was officially decriminalized for certain purposes in 2018.

In the United States, kratom’s popularity has grown significantly. According to the American Kratom Association (AKA), as of 2019, there were an estimated 16 million kratom users in the U.S. Unlike its traditional association with religious ceremonies and laborers, the modern American kratom community is highly diverse.

Research into kratom’s effects is ongoing. While many surveys suggest that users turn to kratom for wellness-related goals, scientific studies continue to investigate its broader properties.

Multiple forms of kratom are now available in the marketplace. In addition to fresh and dried leaves, kratom powders gained popularity for their longer shelf life and ease of use.

Kratom capsules have also become a convenient option for modern users, offering pre-measured servings without the need to experience the plant’s natural bitterness.

What about the controversies?

Like many natural substances, kratom has faced scrutiny regarding its potential for misuse. Its natural alkaloids interact with receptors that have led to regulatory concern in some areas.

In some regions, improper mixtures—such as kratom tea combined with caffeinated drinks, cough syrups, and other medications—have resulted in public health issues. These incidents are generally attributed to adulterated combinations, not to kratom itself.

There have also been isolated cases in the U.S. involving contaminated kratom products, including a salmonella outbreak traced to improperly stored homemade batches. These events contributed to negative media coverage and public misconceptions.

While much of the concern arises from a lack of standardized regulations and quality control, kratom has at times been unfairly blamed for issues unrelated to pure, responsibly sourced products.

Fortunately, organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) have reviewed kratom and concluded that it does not warrant an international ban based on current evidence.

Today, the general consensus is that kratom, when pure and used responsibly, is safe for adult consumers. However, regulatory hurdles and misinformation continue to slow down necessary research and improvements in product safety.

What may happen down the line?

The future of kratom

Considering how long kratom has been used, it seems unlikely to fall out of favor. As a result, more countries will have to regulate it.

Many users find kratom to be a natural part of their wellness routines. For broader acceptance, the public needs access to reliable information and safe, lab-tested kratom products.

While some countries and U.S. states are still considering restrictions, a growing number are moving toward regulation and promoting research efforts.

In the United States, the Kratom Consumer Protection Act (KCPA) is a source of optimism. These laws aim to keep kratom legal while introducing guidelines for manufacturing, labeling, and product testing.

The Food and Drug Administration may review its stance on the plant as more research comes out. Until then, individuals and organizations will keep fighting to keep kratom legal and make it safer.

Here’s what we think:

Kratom’s naturally occurring and vital to numerous cultures, so we can’t expect it to disappear. Given its properties, the modern world can benefit from it. The best option is to adapt it to the contemporary context and ensure its purity.

So, research and regulation are the only sensible options.

Ancient origins, modern popularity

Much of kratom’s early history remains a mystery. As global interest continues to grow, we may uncover even more about its longstanding role in traditional cultures.

With strong advocacy efforts in the U.S. and beyond, kratom appears poised for a bright future. Legalizing and regulating natural botanicals remains challenging, but growing scientific support and public demand are helping turn that vision into reality.

Would you like to hop on the Mitragyna speciosa bandwagon? Visit our shop and order lab-tested, ethically sourced kratom products today.