Air-dried latex from incised, unripe seed capsules of Papaver somniferum L., or P. album Mill., Papaveraceae. Constit. complex mixture of more than 20 alkaloids (20-30%) present as salts of meconic, lactic and sulfuric acids; volatile pyrazine derivatives responsible for the characteristic odor; meconin, sugars, proteins, gums, wax, fats, water. Morphine is the most important alkaloid and occurs to the extent of 10-16%, noscapine 4-8%, codeine 0.8-2.5%, papaverine 0.5-2.5%, thebaine 0.5-2%. For medicinal purposes, raw opium is dried at not above 70°, granulated or powdered, and adjusted with lactose or other inert diluent to contain 10-10.5% anhydr morphine. Historical review: M. J. Brownstein, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90, 5391-5393 (1993). Review of alkaloid extraction processes: R. J. Bryant, Chem. Ind. (London) 1988 (5), 146-153; of opium characterization methods: B. Remberg et al., Bull. Narc. 46, 79-108 (1994). Review of composition, pharmacology, and abuse: H. Kalant, Addiction 92, 267-277 (1997). HPLC analysis of alkaloid content: K. Yoshimatsu et al., Chem. Pharm. Bull. 53, 1446 (2005). Clinical use of opium tincture in neonatal abstinence syndrome: M. G. Coyle et al., J. Pediatr. 140, 561 (2002).
Analgesic; antidiarrheal.
Analgesic; Opioids; Phenanthrenes; Antidiarrheal