2. Plant Poisons
• A poisonous plant is one which, as a whole or a
part thereof; under all or certain conditions, and
in a manner and in amount likely to be taken or
brought into contact with an organism, will exert
harmful effects or cause death either
immediately or by reason of cumulative action
of the toxic property, due to the presence of
known or unknown chemical substances in it,
and not by mechanical action.
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3. Classification of Plant Poison
• Poisonous plants can be classified in a number
of ways, however the most common
classifications are:
1. Based on active chemical constituents
2. Based on physiological action
3. Based on taxonomical system
However they can also be classified based on the
poisonous parts (bark, root, leaves, seed etc) of
the plant.
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5. Papaver somniferum
• Common names- poppy, white poppy, opium
poppy, carnation poppy
• Opium is air-dried, milky exude obtained by
incising the unripe capsules(pods) of poppy plant.
• Morphine is the most abundant alkaloid among
the more than 45 alkaloids present in opium.
• Traces of morphine are present in ripe & dry pods
but other alkaloids aren't present in ripe pods.
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6. Side affects of opium alkaloids
• ‘Narcotikos’ – lethargy or sluggishness
• ‘Opium’ – juice (Gk)
• Affects the CNS and produces the altered state
of mind.
• Relieves the pain and induces the sleep.
• Causes the physiological & psychological
dependency.
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7. Constituents of Opium
• Chief components of opium are:
– Morphine- 10 - 20%
– Narcotine- 0.75 - 10%
– Papaverine- 0.5 - 1%
– Thebaine- 0.2 - 1%
– Codeine- 0.2 - 0.8%
– Narceine- 0.1 - 0.5%
• These alkaloids don't exist as free bases, but in
combination with acids;
– meconic acids,
– lactic acids,
– sulphuric acids.
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9. OPIUM, OPIATES & OPIOIDS
• Opium: latex, milky exude from unripe pods of
poppy plant (Papaver somniferum).
• Opiates: drugs extracted/derived from the
exude of poppy.
• Opioids: a natural or synthetic drug that binds
to opioid receptors producing agonist effect.
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10. Extraction of opium alkaloids
• Opium alkaloids are basic drugs i.e alkaline in
nature; so extracted by alkaline distillation.
• Stas otto method*
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11. Finely minced biological tissue in flask is mixed with 2-3 times its volume of distilled
water
Mixture is acidified with non volatile tartaric or dilute sulphuric acid
Mixture is subjected to steam distillation until all volatile substances have been
carried over to other end
At least 25 ml of distillate is collected for extraction of acidic ( alcohol, cyanide,
chloraldehyde, chloroform, phenols, petroleum hydrocarbons etc)
The material left in flask is made strongly alkaline by addition of 10% NaOH and again
steam distilled
The distillate is then collected in 5 ml of HCl
This acidic distillate is then taken into separating funnel and made alkaline with
ammonium solution and extracted with ether-chloroform (3:1)
Dried with anhydrous sodium sulphate and evaporated to dryness and this is used for
basic drug identification.
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12. Colour tests for opium alkaloids
• Frohde’s Test:
– To the dried residue of extract is added one drop of Frohde’s
reagent( 1% ammonium molybdate solution in concentrated
H2SO4).
– A violet colour changing to green and finally blue is
observed.
• Marquis Test:
– To the dried residue of extract is added one drop of Marquis
reagent (one drop of formalin in one ml of concentrated
H2SO4).
– A purple red colour is produced which changes to violet and
blue.
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13. • Zernic Nitric Acid Test:
– To the dried residue of extract is added one drop of
concentrated HNO3.
– Presence of yellow colour is indication of opium
alkaloids.
• Urotropine Test:
– To the dried residue of extract is added a few drops of
aqueous solution of urotropine and warmed slightly.
– A purple colour changing to blue and then green is
observed.
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14. – This test is performed in direct aqueous acidic
solution or in aqueous layer left after extraction of
organic poisons.
– A few drops of neutral solution of ferric chloride is
added to 1-2 ml of aqueous extract.
– A blood red colour is produced which is not
destroyed by boiling or by adding HCl or mercuric
chloride.
Test for Meconic Acid:
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15. Test for Porphyroxine:
– A few drops of dilute HCl are added to two drops
of acetic acid solution of the residue of extract.
– Warmed over a low flame.
– Pink or rose red colour are produced.
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16. Microcrystal Tests For Morphine
– These tests are performed with different reagents on
the residue of extract.
– The crystals formed show definite geometry,
characteristics to a particular plant poison.
– These tests may be used for screening f the samples.
Reagent Type of crystal
5% mercuric chloride Tufts
Potassium mercuric iodide Needles
5% potassium iodide Orange plates
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19. Gas Chromatographic Analysis of
Opioids
• The purified alkaloids from TLC plate is dissolved
in 0.5 ml alcohol and aliquot of 5 microlitre is
injected in GLC column.
• Method-
– Column: length 3 ft, diameter: 1/8”
– Material: spiral glass
– Stationary phase: 1% high efficiency- 8 B
– Carrier Gas: Nitrogen with flow rate of 60ml/min
– Temp.: 220C
– Detector: FID
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20. UV and IR Spectrometry of Opioids
• Principal peaks of morphine in IR spectra
– 805, 1243, 1118, 945, 1086, 833
• λmax (in nm) in diverse media (UV spectrography)
– Aqueous acid : 285
– Aqueous alkaline : 298
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