PAPAVERACEAE

The Papaveraceae or poppy family comprises some 700+ species of strictly temperate herbs with alternate leaves, showy flowers, and fruits in the form of capsules containing numerous seeds. The opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) is probably the most ancient medicinal plant, which was cultivated by the Sumerians for its pain-killing effect. This practice continues today in the need of morphine, a benzylisoquinoline alkaloid that is exclusive to opium poppy. Modern pharmacy begun with the chemical isolation of morphine some 200 years ago. It represents the first instance of a drug (alkaloid) which can be purified and given to a patient under measured dose. Morphine is the gold standard drug for pain relief today, but it has a long and dark history. Great wars were fought, and countless lives were lost because of opium. This is partly due to morphine’s strongly addictive property, but also human greed. In overdose, morphine (opioid drugs) causes death by respiratory depression, but an effective antidote called naloxone exists. The withdrawal symptoms of opioid addiction is just as harmful, it requires persistence to overcome as addicts often relapse into their old habits. Morphine and its semi-synthetic derivative heroin (and many synthetic analogs like fentanyl) are currently the most harmful drugs of abuse.

Another highly dangerous Papaveraceae is the prickly poppy, Argemone spp., particularly A. mexicana. It is an adaptable species which is naturalised across most subtropical and even tropical regions of the world. In India and parts of Africa, the seeds of A. mexicana are used to adulterate mustard seeds. The adulterated mustard oil causes poisoning of epidemic proportion (epidemic dropsy), victims exhibit swollen extremities, eye damage, and death by multi-organ failure. This is due to the effect of a benzylisoquinoline alkaloid called sanguinarine, which causes blood vessels to become leaky. There is currently no antidote to epidemic dropsy, but patients can recover with symptomatic treatment following early diagnosis.

 

Opium poppy (Papaver somniferum).

Mexican prickly poppy (Argemone mexicana var. mexicana), foliage.

Argemone mexicana var. mexicana, flower.

Argemone mexicana var. mexicana, lateral view.

Argemone mexicana, seeds.