Opium poppy (Papaver somnifum) is the common source of opium and derivatives such as morphine or heroin. All poppies produce the narcotic compounds. Some poppies are cultivated for medicinal use, others raised for ornamental beauty and edible seeds.
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Papaver somniferum, known as the opium poppy or breadseed poppy, is a species of flowering plant in the family Papaveraceae. It produces both both opium latex and edible poppy seeds. With a showy bright flower it's beloved as an ornamental garden plant.
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The native range of P. somniferum extends east of the Mediterranean Sea. Over time the poppy spreads throughout the ancient world, as trade and travel routes open up. In Europe, poppy is introduced to the western Alps c. 5000 - 4800 BCE. It's widespread by 4500 BCE.
Opium from poppy plants has natural alkaloids such as morphine and codeine. All opiates share the same basic molecular structure. A minor change to the end molecules yields different products ie heroin, morphine, codeine, oxycodone.
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Opiates or opiods?
Opiates are chemical compounds extracted or refined from natural plant matter such as poppy sap and poppy plant fibers. Opiates include:
Opium
Morphine
Codeine
Heroin
Opioids are chemical compounds not derived from natural plant matter. Most opioids are made in the lab or synthesized, merged in hybrids of organic and synthetic. They include:
Dextromethorphan (NyQuil, Robitussin, TheraFlu, Vicks)
Dextropropoxyphene (Darvocet-N, Darvon)
Fentanyl/fentanil (Ultiva, Sublimaze, Duragesic patch)
Hydrocodone (Vicodin)
Hydromorphone (Dilaudid)
Loperamide (Imodium)
Meperidine (Demerol)
Methadone (Dolophine)
Oxycodone (Oxycontin, Percocet)
Oxymorphone (Opana)
Carfentanyl/carfentanil (Wildnil, for veterinary use)
Papaver somniferum enjoys dry, warm climates. Most opium poppies grow in a narrow region c. 7240 km (4500 mi) from Turkey and Pakistan. Today the world's largest poppy producer is Myanmar (Burma). Opium poppies are also raised in Colombia and Mexico.
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To harvest the sap, a multi-blade knife is used to cut into the unripe poppy seed pod so the white latex oozes out. The latex or opium gum is scraped off and air-dried to produce opium. All parts of the poppy produce the gum.
Poppies do best in moist but well-drained soil in full sun. Field and opium poppies are tolerant to dry or low-nutrient soils. Himalayan blue poppies grow well in partial shade and moist, slightly acidic soil.
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Tasmania is a major producer of medicinal poppy, morphine and codeine. Tasmanian poppy cultivars are used for thebaine (85% of world supply) and oripavine (100% of world's supply) Tasmania also supplies 25% of the world's opium and codeine.
In the 19th century opium and its derivative laudanum is the drug of choice for natural health treatments, prescriptions for pain and anxiety conditions such as neurasthenia, and recreational intoxication.
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The Czech blue poppy variety, white with reddish lower petals (above), sometimes red or mauve, can be confused with the Himalayan blue poppy, which really is blue. The Czech blue poppy is named for the blue seeds beloved in cuisine.
The opium poppy is cultivated in lower Mesopotamia by c. 3400 BCE. Sumerians call it Hul Gil or joy plant. To the north, Assyrians acquire the magic flower and use it for its euphoric and visionary effects as well as painkilling properties.
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In the ancient world poppy extracts are also used as surgical analgesia. Poppy appears in a Sumerian clay tablet c. 2100 BCE believed to be the world's oldest recorded list of medical prescriptions.
Poppy cultivation expands with the Assyrians. The Egyptians, voracious traders, bring the plant back to Egypt (Kemet). They use it like mandrake as a sedative, taken with beer or wine. By 1300 BCE they widely cultivate and trade the plant or its parts.
Artifacts of ancient Greek Minoan culture show knowledge of the poppy. Many "poppy goddess" terracotta figures appear from Crete dating to c. 1500 BCE. Their hair is decorated with poppy capsules, eyes closed to indicate sedation, meditation or higher awareness.
Some of the goddess hold their arms in the Egyptian symbol of Ka, the life essence. Ka is part of the Egyptian concept of the soul. The goddess figures show the connection between the Minoan people of Crete and the Egyptians through trade and travel.
In folklore and spirituality the poppy is symbol of sleep, peace, and death. A famous scene from the Wizard of Oz (book published 1900, movie released 1939) depicts Dorothy and companions falling asleep in fields of red poppies.
Opium is used as a sedative, evident in the Latin name somniferum or "sleep-bringing." It's linked to death partly due to the common blood-red color of the flower. In Greco-Roman lore, poppies are used as offerings to the dead and symbols of remembrance.
As a symbol of remembrance the poppy is used to honor war veterans in countries such as Canada, Australia, the UK, Barbados, South Korea, Pakistan, New Zealand, South Africa and more.
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Remembrance poppies are the Papaver rhoeas variety. They contain toxins such as papaveric acid and rhoeagenine. Medical reports of ingestion include numbness in extremities, foaming at the mouth, vomiting, confusion, seizures and loss of consciousness.
Adverse effects of opium poppy P. somiferum and relatives are numerous and may include:
nausea
vomiting
constipation
drowsiness
dry mouth
dizziness
breathing problems
Itching
opioid dependence
decreased sex drive
impotence
decreased testosterone levels
depression
weakened immune system
abnormal pain sensitivity
irregular menstruation
poor physical coordination leading to falls and accidents
hallucinations
In 1898 the Bayer Company begins production of heroin on a commercial scale. The first clinical results are a resounding success, giving heroin the potential of a wonder drug. It's marketed as a safe effective pain reliever and cough suppressant.
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Eager researchers are certain heroin is a revolutionary cough suppressant to help people with lung disease, a widespread problem due to 19th century coal and industrial pollution. The name is from ancient Greek heros, referring to a demigod honored for his deeds.
By 1913 it's clear Bayer Heroin has devastating side effects, and production stops. Bayer puts money and energy into another new miracle drug, Aspirin. The opium latex of poppy Papaver somnifum remains a major commodity today.