COMPARISON OF MITRAGYNINE CONTENTS BETWEEN FRESH KRATOM (MITRAGYNA SPECIOSA (KORTH.) HAVIL.) AND FREEZE DRYING LEAVES

Abstract

This study aimed to compare the mitragynine content in fresh kratom leaves and freeze-dried samples using
a completely randomized design (CRD). Variables measured included weight, color properties (L*, a*, b*), moisture and mitragynine contents. The results showed that fresh leaves experienced a 72.68% weight reduction after freeze-drying, with moisture content decreasing from 58.85±4.82% to 5.22±0.22%. Freeze-dried samples exhibited increased lightness (L*), while a* trended toward green and b* toward yellow. The total color difference (ΔE) was 21.51, indicating significant variation between fresh and freeze dried samples. Mitragynine content in fresh leaves was 2.39±0.26 %w/w (dry weight), which decreased to 2.00±0.14 %w/w (dry weight) in freeze-dried samples, reflecting a 15.97% loss. The result inferred that freeze-drying effectively reduced moisture content and partially preserves active compounds. However, the observed loss of mitragynine and changes in color highlight the need for further optimization of the freeze-drying process to improve the quality and stability of herbal products.