ID	DDInter1344
	Drug Type	small molecule
	Molecular Formula	None
	Molecular Weight	-
	CAS Number	8008-60-4
	Description	Opium is the first substance of the diverse group of the opiates. It has been known for a long time, and the first evidence of a poppy culture dates from 5 thousand years by the Sumerians. During the years, opium was used as a sedative and hypnotic, but it was determined to be addictive.[A32171] Opium is extracted from _Papaver somniferum_, which is more known as poppies. This plant is an integrant of the Papaveraceae family, and it is characterized by solitary leaves and capsulated fruits. Therefore, opium is a sticky brown resin obtained by collecting and drying the latex that exudes from the poppy pods.[L1761] Once extracted, opium contains two main groups of alkaloids; the psychoactive constituents which are in the category of phenanthrenes and alkaloids that have no central nervous system effect in the category of isoquinolines. Morphine is the most prevalent and principal alkaloid in opium, and it is responsible for most of the harmful effects of opium.[L1762] Opium has gradually been superseded by a variety of synthetic opioids and general anesthetics. Some of the isolated derivatives of opium are morphine, noscapine, strychnine, veratrine, colchicine, codeine, and quinine.[A32175] Opium is a prohibited drug of abuse in most countries, but the illegal production of this drug and its derivatives keeps being registered. There is some legal production of opium in different countries for the obtention of alkaloids by extraction.[L1766]
	ATC Classification	A07DA02 N02AA02
IUPAC Name	None
InChI	None
Canonical SMILES	None
Useful Links	DrugBank PubChem Substance Wikipedia