Back      Return Home

Poppies are Beautiful Flowers, But Yield a Deadly Substance

More Pictures at Bottom of Page
The source of opium is the opium poppy, Papaver somniferum, one of the few species of Papaver that produces opium. Through centuries of cultivation and breeding the poppy for its opium, a species of the plant evolved that is now known as somniferum. The genus, Papaver, is the Greek word for “poppy.” The species, somniferum, is Latin for “sleep inducing.” The psychological effects of opium may have been known to the ancient Sumerians (4000 B.C.) whose symbol for the poppy was hul (joy) and Gil (plant). The plant was also known in Europe at least 4,000 years ago. Opium was probably consumed by the ancient Egyptians and was known to the Greeks as well. The opium poppy probably reached China about the 7th century A.D. through the efforts of Arab traders who advocated its use for medicinal purposes. In 1803, the German pharmacist F. W. Serturner isolated and described the principal alkaloid in opium, which he named Morphium after Morpheus, the Greek god of dreams and sleep.

Poppy, Papaver Somniferum L.
is an annual herb native to Southeastern Europe and western Asia. Also known as opium poppy, the species is cultivated extensively in many countries, including Iran, Turkey, Holland, Poland, Romania, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, India, Canada, and many Asian and Central and South American countries. Reaching a height of 1.2 meters, the erect plant can have white, pink, red, or purple flowers. Seeds range in color from white to a slate shade that is called blue in commercial classifications. *

Varieties
Papaver somniferum is a species of plant with many sub-groups or varieties. Colors of the flower vary widely, as do other physical characteristics such as number and shape of petals, number of pods, production of morphine, etc.

Papaver somniferum Paeoniflorum Group (sometimes called Papaver paeoniflorum) is a sub-type of opium poppy whose flowers are highly double, and are grown in many colors. Papaver somniferum Laciniatum Group (sometimes called Papaver laciniatum) is a sub-type of opium poppy whose flowers are highly double and deeply lobed, to the point of looking like a ruffly pompon.

A few of the varieties, notably the "Norman" and "Przemko" varieties, have "low morphine" content (less than one percent), making them markedly less useful for drug production. Most varieties, however, including those most popular for ornamental use or seed production, have a higher morphine content. **

More on the Subject
Opium poppy is an erect, annual herb growing up to 1.5 meter. The leaves are light grey-green and hairless. The typical flowers can have many colors: ranging from white, to purple and red. All parts of the opium poppy plant contain small vessels filled with white latex. The typical capsules vary in shape and size, but they are usually hemispherical and flat at the top. The dark seeds are very small and kidney shaped.
 
Parts Used
The dried latex is obtained from the unripe fruit, by making shallow cuts. The white latex that flows out soon turns brown. This brown latex is collected and dried. The seeds which are formed in ripe opium poppy fruits have no therapeutic properties.

Phytochemicals
Opium poppy contains many isoquiline alkaloids. The most important phytochemicals are Morphine, Noscapine and Codeine. Other alkaloids are Thebaine, Narceine, Papaverine, Codamine and Rhoeadine.,

Medicinal Properties
Opium poppy has hypnotic, stimulant, analgesic, sedative, astringent, antitussive and diaphoretic properties. Opium poppy powder or extract is not much used anymore; instead the pure chemicals such as morphine, noscapine and codeine are used.

Hypnotic Properties
Morphine from opium poppy is a strong hypnotic and sedative. Morphine works by modulating endorphin receptors. Morphine is a strong stimulant, inducing euphoria and eliminating anxieties and inhibitions. The use of morphine often leads to addiction.

Painkiller
Morphine is often used by doctors as a very effective painkiller. Morphine blocks the pain messages in sensory nerve cells of the cerebrum. Codeine works also a painkiller but to a lesser extent. Codeine is mostly used in combination with aspirin to relieve minor pains.

Anti-cough
The sedative and antispasmodic properties of codeine explain why opium poppy is used in cough syrups. Codeine suppresses the cough reflex and has antitussive activity.
 
Other Facts
The opium poppy is indigenous to South-western Asia. Opium poppy is cultivated in many countries in Europe, Turkey, Persia, India and China. The word opium is derived from the Greek word opos, meaning juice. The drug opium was already used in ancient times by the Greeks and Romans. When the opium fruit ripens it no longer contains active components. The seeds inside can then are eaten without any ill effects. These seeds are often sprinkled on bread rolls.

* reference is from opiods.com
** reference is from wikipedia.com