Composition: Annual herbaceous plant with white flowers, pink or purple. Its fruit is dry and capsule form. All of it is irrigated by a white latex. It is very similar to the poppy is smaller. Location:
Originally from Asia, from where he came to Europe. Formerly, it was the Persians and Hindus who began their cultivation, and then be introduced into China. Harvesting: When making an incision in the unripe fruit appears latex, which is used to produce opium.
Properties:
This latex is rich in codeine, morphine and papaverine, and other alkaloids to a lesser extent, thebaine or naceína narcotina. The mixture of all of them form the basis of opium, used for its therapeutic properties in certain diseases always under strict medical supervision.
Codeine: antitussive morphine: central nervous system relaxant, papaverine relieves pain, antispasmodic All are considered drugs, so its use is restricted under sanitary control.
Image: flickr
