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Synonym: Raw opium
Biological source: It is the dried latex obtained by incision from the unripe capsules of Papaver somniferum Linn.,
Family:. Papaveraceae.
Geographical source: India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkey, Russia, China, and Iran.
History:
It was first cultivated in Mediterranean regions and probably brought by Alexander in 327 B.C. to India.
It is known that Dioscorides and Theophrastus were aware of the medicinal properties of opium.
The earliest written record about opium is revealed from Historia plantarum (some where in 300 B.C.) and Oe Materia Medica (78 A.D.).
Cultivation, Collection and Preparation
Being a potent narcotic drug, the cultivation and other aspects of opium are governed by respective governments indifferent countries, including India. In India, all the activities about opium -and its derivatives are controlled under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.
Temperature: cool weather without freezing temperature and cloudiness and sufficient sunshine.
Propagation: Seeds
Soil: Highly fertile, well drained loamy soil with fine sand pH around 7 plant reaches maximum height of one metre.
After sowing, within 3 - 4 months, the plant bears flowers, which are converted to capsules within few days and attain maturity after 15 - 20 days.
During the maturity period, the capsule exudes maximum latex which shows a colour change from dark green to light green.
Incised vertically in the afternoon with the help of specific needle like apparatus called 'nushtur'. It penetrates maximum upto 2 mm into the capsule.
Because of incisions, latex exudes out and thickens due to cold weather in night which is eventually scrapped and collected next morning by an iron scoop called Charpala.
The incising process is repeated for about 4 times on the same capsule with 2 days interval
Macroscopic characters Indian Opium:
Colour: Dark brown
Shape: Cubical
Fracture: Brittle and plastic
Macroscopic characters Persian Opium:
Colour: Dark brown
Shape: Brick shaped masses,
Fracture: Granular or nearly smooth with brittle
Macroscopic characters Natural Turkish or European opium:
Colour: Brown or dark brown
Shape: Conical or rounded and somewhat flattened masses,
Fracture: Hard and brittle.
Macroscopic characters Manipulated Turkish opium:
Colour: Chocolate brown or dark brown
Shape: Oval and flattened
Fracture: Plastic or even brittle.
Macroscopic characters Manipulated European opium:
Colour: Chocolate brown or dark brown
Shape: Elongated masses with rounded ends
Fracture: Plastic and with brittle fracture.
Synonym: Raw opium
Biological source: It is the dried latex obtained by incision from the unripe capsules of Papaver somniferum Linn.,
Family:. Papaveraceae.
Geographical source: India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkey, Russia, China, and Iran.
History:
It was first cultivated in Mediterranean regions and probably brought by Alexander in 327 B.C. to India.
It is known that Dioscorides and Theophrastus were aware of the medicinal properties of opium.
The earliest written record about opium is revealed from Historia plantarum (some where in 300 B.C.) and Oe Materia Medica (78 A.D.).
Cultivation, Collection and Preparation
Being a potent narcotic drug, the cultivation and other aspects of opium are governed by respective governments indifferent countries, including India. In India, all the activities about opium -and its derivatives are controlled under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.
Temperature: cool weather without freezing temperature and cloudiness and sufficient sunshine.
Propagation: Seeds
Soil: Highly fertile, well drained loamy soil with fine sand pH around 7 plant reaches maximum height of one metre.
After sowing, within 3 - 4 months, the plant bears flowers, which are converted to capsules within few days and attain maturity after 15 - 20 days.
During the maturity period, the capsule exudes maximum latex which shows a colour change from dark green to light green.
Incised vertically in the afternoon with the help of specific needle like apparatus called 'nushtur'. It penetrates maximum upto 2 mm into the capsule.
Because of incisions, latex exudes out and thickens due to cold weather in night which is eventually scrapped and collected next morning by an iron scoop called Charpala.
The incising process is repeated for about 4 times on the same capsule with 2 days interval
Macroscopic characters Indian Opium:
Colour: Dark brown
Shape: Cubical
Fracture: Brittle and plastic
Macroscopic characters Persian Opium:
Colour: Dark brown
Shape: Brick shaped masses,
Fracture: Granular or nearly smooth with brittle
Macroscopic characters Natural Turkish or European opium:
Colour: Brown or dark brown
Shape: Conical or rounded and somewhat flattened masses,
Fracture: Hard and brittle.
Macroscopic characters Manipulated Turkish opium:
Colour: Chocolate brown or dark brown
Shape: Oval and flattened
Fracture: Plastic or even brittle.
Macroscopic characters Manipulated European opium:
Colour: Chocolate brown or dark brown
Shape: Elongated masses with rounded ends
Fracture: Plastic and with brittle fracture.
Chemical constituents:
The latex contains mainly the Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids
Narcotine (also called noscapine),
Narceine and
Papaverine
Phenanthrene alkaloids types.
Morphine,
Codeine
Thebaine
Morphine is monoacidic, laevorotatory phenolic alkaloid and also contains an alcoholic hydroxyl group at C (6) position.
It shows phenolic hydroxyl group due to which it is soluble in alkali hydroxides, except ammonium hydroxide
Diacetyl derivative of morphine is heroin.
Codeine (methyl morphine) is a strong monoacidic base and laevorotatory. It is soluble in water and organic solvents.
Papaverine is a weak monoacidic base and inactive optically. It is slightly soluble in organic solvents, but insoluble in water.
The opium alkaloids are present as salts of meconic acid.
Protopine and hydrocotarnine are the minor alkaloids of opium
Opium does not contain tannins, starch and calcium oxalate.
Uses:
Morphine is a potent analgesic. It is given only in severe pains and in those cases, when patient does not show response to other analgesics.
Morphine sedates the cerebrum and has a mixture of stimulation and sedation on the medulla. In the medulla, it sedates the respiratory centre, emetic centre and the cough reflex.
It also stimulates chemoreceptor cause nausea and vomiting as a side effect.
Codeine relieves local irritation in the bronchial tract and as an antitussive used in various cough medicines
Papaverine has relaxant effects on smooth muscles of the intestinal and bronchial tract and the blood vessels.
Narcotine has a specific depressant action on cough reflex and used in the preparation of cough linctus.
Chemical Tests
Opium + Water =====> Filterate + Ferric chloride === deep reddish purple colour is persists even on addition of hydrochloric acid.
Morphine + nitric acid gives orange red colour negative for codeine.
Morphine solution + potassium ferricyanide + ferric chloride solutions => Bluish green colour. Negative for codeine.
Papaverine solution + in hydrochloric acid + potassium ferricyanide solution. ==>lemon yellow colour
Allied plants
Papaver argemone,
P. dubium,
P. orientate,
P. bracteatum,
P. strigosum,
P. intermedia,
P. paeoniflorum, hybrid of P. somniferum and P. orientate, P. psendoorientale, and plants from genera Argemone and Eschscholzia (both belonging to family Papaveraceae).
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