Poppy

Scientific Name(s): Papaver bracteatum, Papaver somniferum L.
Common Name(s): Great scarlet poppy, Lipiodol, Oleum Papaveris Seminis, Opium poppy, Poppyseed poppy, Thebaine poppy

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jul 23, 2021.

Clinical Overview

Use

Poppy extracts have traditionally been used to relax smooth muscle tone, making them potentially useful in the treatment of diarrhea and abdominal cramping. The extract has been used as a sedative analgesic and antitussive. Poppy seed oil is used as a vehicle for chemotherapy delivery and to diagnose fistulae. However, there are no clinical trials to support these uses. Morphine is prepared from the opium poppy.

Dosing

Clinical trials are lacking to guide dosage.

Contraindications

Contraindications have not been identified.

Pregnancy/Lactation

Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking. The seed is generally recognized as safe when used as food.

Interactions

None well documented.

Adverse Reactions

Opium is known for its highly addictive qualities. It has been associated with poisoning and characterized by symptoms of sedation, sluggishness, and abdominal contractions. Allergy and anaphylaxis to poppy seed have been reported.

Toxicology

No data is available in humans.

Scientific Family

• Papaveraceae

Botany

Seventy to 100 different varieties of the poppy exist. The opium poppy is a small annual, but other poppy species may be annual, biennial, or perennial. The bright showy flowers of the genus Papaver range in color from white to deep reds and purples. The seeds of the plants vary in color from light cream to blue-black and are numerous and minutely pitted. Sap from the seed pods may be white, orange, or red.PLANTS 2007

History

The earliest accounts of the use of poppy preparations date to the ancient Sumerians in Mesopotamia, where the plant was used medicinally and was known as hul gil (the plant of joy). The medicinal uses of poppy were described by the ancient Greeks and opium, as an addictive agent, was identified by Arabic physicians more than 900 years ago. Because of the wide distribution of the opium poppy, its use has been recognized by most major cultures. Opium was widely used in the United States during the Civil War to treat wounded soldiers, who often developed a dependence. The alkaloid morphine was purified from crude opium in 1803. In 1874, morphine was reacted with acetic anhydride to yield heroin. This compound was developed by the Bayer pharmaceutical company in Germany for cough, chest pain, and pneumonia and was later recognized to have a high addiction potential. Derivatives of opium alkaloids continue to play a major role as antitussives, antidiarrheals, and analgesics. Their abuse potential remains high, and efforts to curtail the illicit cultivation of the opium poppy have had limited success. Poppy seeds are used in the preparation of confections and breads.Hoffman 1990, Calixto 2000 While growing poppies is legal, it is illegal to process what is grown into the drug form.

Chemistry

The chemistry of the genus Papaver is well known. When the unripened seed capsule is scored, a milky latex exudes.Calixto 2000, Simon 1984 The dried latex is known as opium, which contains more than 30 alkaloids.Duke 1985 The most important of these alkaloids are morphine (20%), noscapine (5%), codeine (2%), papaverine (2%), and thebaine (1%). Codeine is the most widely used opium alkaloid and is obtained from natural sources or thro...