The document discusses the pharmacognostic features, chemical constituents, uses, mechanisms of action, dosage, and side effects of opium derived from the Papaver somniferum plant. Key points include: (1) Major alkaloids in opium include morphine, codeine, and thebaine; (2) Morphine and codeine are used as analgesics, while codeine also acts as an antitussive; (3) Heroin is more potent than morphine due to its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier; (4) Opium can cause side effects like constipation, nausea, sedation, and respiratory depression if taken in excess.

2. Papaver somniferum L.
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3. Pharmacognostic Features:
 Botanical origin: Papaver somniferum L.
 Family: Papaveraceae
 English Name: Opium
 Urdu Name: Afewen
 Local Name: Opium poppy, Mawseed
 Part Used: Capsules, Flowers, Seeds, Latex.
 Chemical Class: Alkaloids

4. Chemical Constituents:
Major chemical constituents are:
• Most important chemical constituents are alkaloids (1/5th of total
weight of drug)
• Principle Alkaloid is Morphine (8-17%)
Others are :
• Narcotine/Noscapine(1-10%),
• Codeine (0.7-5%),
• Papaverine(0.5-1.5%),
• Thebaine (0.1-2.5%)
• Mecoic acid exist in combination with Morphine
• Mucilage
• Sugar
• Salts of Calcium and Magnesium
• wax

5. Heroin
 It is the derivative of Morphine and is more potent
than morphine
 Morphine can cross the blood brain barrier but due to
its conjugation it becomes lipid insoluble.
 Whereas heroin is lipid soluble and crosses the blood
brain barrier easily and act on the limbic system of
brain.
 The limbic system that is associated with emotions is
stimulated and dreamlike sensations (euphoria) are
produced.

6. Uses:
 Used to relieve pain
 As antitussive (to treat cough)
 It is used to treat intestinal stomach spasms and
respiratory spasms triggered by asthma attacks
 Used as Hypnotic, sedative, Astringent,
Antispasmodic.
 Treat diarrhea and abdominal cramping
 Relax involuntary muscles
 Poppy seed oil is used as vehicle for parentrals

7.  Poppy seeds relieve constipation as the contain a lot of
dietary fiber
 They relieve mouth ulcers
 Poppy seeds help to lower the cholesterol levels,
maintain bone health, combat skin infections.

8. Mechanism of Actions
 Morphine: Morphine binds to opioid receptors present
on surface of nerve cells and sets off chain of reactions
inside the cell and causes cell membrane to be less
excitable. This means that the nerve impulses are not
generated as the nerve cell becomes sluggish.
 It can also dull pain by silencing nerves in spine that carry
pain signals.
 Also effects in pain processing areas of brain.
 Therefore morphine causes analgesia, drowsiness,euphoria,
respiratory depression,nausea, depressed cough reflex.

9.  Distinct effects on GIT include decreased motility and
secretion, Increased resting tone and spasm, increased
anal sphincter tone, all of which combine to produce
constipation
 Causes increase in tone of urinary bladder wall thus
increasing urinary retention

10. Codeine
 Codeine and its derivatives are used as antitussives
 It is also used as decongestants and help relieve stuffy
nose.
 It is less potent than morphine
 It also acts as analgesic to relieve mild to moderate pain.
Although codeine has very low affinity for opioid receptors,
about 10% of it is converted into morphine and the
resulting analgesic effect is due to this conversion.
 It suppresses cough by reducing the activity of cough center
in brain
 Hydrocodone is more effective antitussive than Codeine.

11. Papaverine
 It is direct smooth muscle relaxant independent of
muscle innervations.
 The musculature of the large blood vessels including
coronary, systemic and pulmonary arteries.
 The resulting vasodilation has been potentially
attributed inhibition of cyclic nucleotide
phosphidiesterases.
 This causes increase in intracellular levels of cAMP
and cGMP by decreases in Calcium ions.

12. Thebaine
 It is not used medicinally
 But it is important as substrate in semi-synthesis of
other compounds
 The plant Papaver bracteatum contains principally
Thebaine (3%) with traces of morphine and codeine.

13. Narcotine
 It is devoid of analgesic activity and is having
antitussive activity equal to codeine
 It also exhibits bronchodilating actions but large
doses may stimulate the release of histamine that
causes bronchoconstriction.

14. Dosage
 Adults= 0.6mL (4 times a day)
 Children= Not recommended

15. Over Dose
 Over Dose may lead to nausea, vomiting, thirst, cold skin,
anxiety, blurred vision, hallucinations, depression,
lethargy, seizures , respiratory and circulatory spasms,
coma and death
 A lethal dose can be as low as 300mg
 Continual usage may lead to physical and psychological
addiction
 Opium produces soothing blissful and dream like effects
 Effects may last upto 8 hours at almost constant strength.

16. Management of Over Dose
 Opium is not very quickly absorbed.
 When a poisonous dose has been swallowed the
stomach should be emptied as soon as possible.
 Administration of Nitrites and of small doses of
Atropine hypodermically maintain cardiac
action.(atropine must be used catiously as it enhances
the paralysis of heart and spinal cord).
 Lethal tendency is combated by strychinine.
 Coma is prevented by giving stimulants.

17. Contraindications and Precautions
 Do not take Opium if patient is having:
Asthma, Emphysema, Abnormal heart rhythm, Liver
problems, Kidney diseases, Seizures, Underactive
Thyroid Abnormally Low B.P
• Opium will add to effects of alcohol and other CNS
depressants (medicines that make you drowsy or less
alert) such as antihistamines, sedatives, barbiturates,
medicines used for allergies etc.

18. Drug Interactions
 Some drugs that interact with codeine include
anticholinergic drugs, antihistamine drugs certain
inhaled anesthetics narcotic antagonist, methyldopa,
reserpine.

19. Side Effects
 Constipation
 Nausea
 Vomiting
 Sedation
 Shrinking of pupil
Some side effects do not need any medical attention .As your
body gets used to medicine these side effects disappear
Opium is habit forming. If you feel that medicine is not
working , do not use more than prescribed dose.

20. References
 www.thehealthsite.com
 drugs.forum.com
 www.ch.ic.ac.uk
 Opium.com
 www.medicinenet.com
 www.webmd.com
 Bioweb.uwlax.edu
 www.sciencedirect.com
 www.coughjournal.com
 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov