Opium

Family :Papaveraceae Vernacular names: Afim, Post Biological Source: Opium consists of dried latex obtained by
incision of unripe capsules of Papaver sominferum Geographical source: Native to West Asia,Pakistan,Afghanistan, Iran, Burma, Thailand, Yugoslavia.

 History

Heroine/Diacetylmorphine

Codeine

Thebaine

Cultivation and collection

Cultivation, manufacturing and possession is illegal without license in most of the countries Seeds are sown in autumn or early spring Ist harvest in May or June 5-8 capsules in each plant When fruit (capsule) changes its color from green to yellow Fruit is cut vertically or horizontally between mid-day to evening and latex is collected next day.

Fresh latex

Cultivation and collection:

Latex dried on next day

opium

Morphology of crude drug

Opium consists of rounded or somewhat flat mass. Color is pale yellow to reddish or chocolate brown Plastic like when fresh but hard and brittle with passage of time Bitter taste

 Smoked, eaten or injected Available as powder or dark brown solid Initially used as drug and was either taken with beverages or swallowed as solid Opium smoking was Introduced into china 17th century from where introduced into Europe and North America. In 1805 a German Pharmacist Friedrich W.Serturner isolated and identified morphine from Morpheus (god of dreams) followed by isolation of codeine (1832) and papaverine (1848)

 Constituents Morphine, codeine and thebaine contain phenanthrene nucleus (strongly basic and highly toxic) Nascopine, Narceine (narcotic) and papaverine (used in the treatment of vasospasm) slightly basic in nature and less toxic compounds.

Ratio of morphine
Varies depending upon environmental conditions and varieties Yugoslavian opium (15-17%) Turkish opium (10-16%) Indian opium (9-12%)

Morphine Analgesic in conditions of severe pain including muscle pain, cancer related pain, severe back pain Side effects: Addiction, nervousness,
relaxation, drowsiness, or sleepiness

 Constipation through inhibition of gastric juices, increased absorption of intestinal fluid thus reducing the intestinal movement or peristalsis

Codeine
Analgesic Antitussive (less sedative) Antidiarrhoeal Orally administered analgesic, safety margin highest

Heroine
A substitute for morphine by acetylation of morphine is

3,6-diacetylmorphine or diamorphine More addictive than morphine Analgesic Anxiolytic (anti-anxiety)

Uses of opium
Opium causes depressent action on CNS Sedative, analgesic, hypnotic and antispasmodic Codeine is less sedative mostly used in cough preparations Papaverine has smooth muscle relaxant action and is used as antispasmodic. Nascopine is non narcotic and is used anti-tussive. Alcoholic tincture (opium) is used in treatment of diarrhea