3. Synonyms: Poppy,Opium, Gum opium
Botanical origion: Papaver somniferum
Local Name: Doda, Kashkash,Post
Part used: Air dried milky latex (exudation) obtained by
incision of unripened capsule
Distribution: Asia,Pakistan,Tribal areas of KP and Punjab
4. PAPAVER SOMNIFERUM
• Annual herb,2-5 feet long
• Roots are tape roots, thick and branched
• Alternate leaves, green in colour
• Large and showy flowers
• Flower colour; red, pink, white, yellow and purple
• 2 sepals,4 petals, many stamens
• Fruit is capsule
• Seed are many and white in colour
5. Production/Cultivation
• Seed mixed with sand and sown
• 2 feet distance between plants
• Sown in octobor – November (plain areas)
• Feb – March (hilly areas)
6. Method of collection of drugs
• Drug is collected in afternoon or early morning when temp
is low
• Oblique/transverse/vertical incision made through unripe
capsule
• Latix come out quickly and soon harden on outer surface
of capsule into brownish mass
• Scraped off next day and make ball, sticks etc and sent to
pharmaceutical industry
7. Macroscopical characteristics of drug
• Rounded or flattened mass of variable size 2-15cm in diameter
• Reddish brown, brown or black in colour
• Bitter taste
• Become hard and brittle while keeping in Rumax leaves
8. Powder drug
• Light brown /yellowish brown in colour
• Fragments of epidermis of poppy capsule, poppy leaves and Rumax leaves
• Needle shaped crystal of Ca-oxalate
