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Opium (or poppy tears, scientific name: Lachryma papaveris) is dried latex obtained from the seed capsules of the opium poppy Papaver somniferum. [4] Approximately 12 percent of opium is made up of the analgesic alkaloid morphine, which is processed chemically to produce heroin and other synthetic opioids for medicinal use and for the illegal drug trade.
Side effects of opioids may include itchiness, sedation, nausea, respiratory depression, constipation, and euphoria. Long-term use can cause tolerance, meaning that increased doses are required to achieve the same effect, and physical dependence, meaning that abruptly discontinuing the drug leads to unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. [14]
By the 18th century, the medicinal properties of opium and laudanum were well known, and the term "laudanum" came to refer to any combination of opium and alcohol. In the 18th century several physicians published works about it, including John Jones , who wrote The Mysteries of Opium Revealed (1700), which was described by one commentator as ...
Opium poppy contains at least 50 different alkaloids, but most of them are of very low concentration. Morphine is the principal alkaloid in raw opium and constitutes roughly 8–19% of opium by dry weight (depending on growing conditions). [84] Some purpose-developed strains of poppy now produce opium that is up to 26% morphine by weight.
The short-term effects, which can be immediate and last a few hours, are similar to those of alcohol intoxication, Choi said — there may be a mix of euphoria with lightheadedness, clumsiness ...
Rare adverse effects include anaphylaxis, seizure, acute pancreatitis, and respiratory depression. [18] As with all opiates, long-term effects can vary, but can include diminished libido, apathy, and memory loss. Some people may have allergic reactions to codeine, such as the swelling of the skin and rashes. [4]
The Taliban-ordered crash in opium production in Afghanistan, long the world's dominant supplier, could drive up overdose deaths as heroin users switch to synthetic opioids already proving deadly ...
6 Potential Long-Term Effects of Ozempic. You may have heard about — or maybe even experienced — the short-term side effects of Ozempic® — such as nausea, vomiting, constipation, and diarrhea.