Botanical Index No. 755

Opium Poppy

papaver somniferum

Medicinal Actions

Analgesic, Antispasmodic, Antitussive, Astringent, Calmative, Carminative, Cerebrostimulant, Decongestant, Deliriant, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Euphoric, Expectorant, Hypotensive, Hypnotic, Intoxicant, Lipogenic, Myorelaxant, Narcotic, Sedative, Spinostimulant, Stimulant, Tonic, Colic, Antibacterial, Antidiarrheal, Antidote, Antiinflammatory, Antipyretic

Primary Conditions Treated

Anodyne Aphrodisiac Demulcent Emollient Hemostat Nervine Tranquilizer Vasodilator Anemia Angina Anxiety Asthma Bacteria Bleeding Boil Bronchosis Bruise Calculus Cancer bladder breast colon ear eye liver nose skin spleen stomach throat tongue uterus uvula vagina Cardiopathy Catarrh Childbirth Cholecystosis Cholera Cold Condyloma Congestion Conjunctivosis Convulsion Cough Cramp Cystosis Delirium Depression Dermatosis Diarrhea Duodenosis Dysentery Dysmenorrhea Dyspepsia Eclampsia Embolism Enterosis Epistaxis Erysipelas Fever Flu Flux Gallstone Gangrene Gastrosis Gonorrhea Gout Headache Hemicrania Hemorrhoid Hepatosis High Blood Pressure Hyperacidity Hypochondria Hysteria Induration Inflammation Inhibition Insomnia Itch Kidney Stone Leukorrhea Malaria Mania Mastosis Melancholy Menorrhagia Mucososis Myocardosis Nausea Nephrosis Nervousness Neuralgia Neurosis Ophthalmia Otosis Pain Peritonosis Pertussis Phthisis Polyp Proctosis Prolapse Pulmonosis Raynaud’s Syndrome Respirosis Rheumatism Scirrhus Snakebite Sore Throat Spasm Spermatorrhea Splenosis Sprain Stomachache Swelling Tenesmus Tetanus Toothache Tuberculosis Tumor Typhoid Typhus Ulcer Urogenitosis Uterosis Uvulosis Vaginosis Vomiting Wart Wound Abortifacient Anaphrodisiac atropine physostigmine strychnine

General Dosage

Prescription only. I do not believe I’d recommend the dosage in KAP, 30–125 mg.

Safety & Contraindications

Seeds Class 1. Not indexed in Commission E. Opium overdoses can cause cold clammy skin, fast weak pulse, fluid in the lungs, cyanosis, pupil constriction, and possible death from circulatory and respiratory failure. Opium addicts can reportedly tolerate 2000 mg over 4 hours, but 300 mg will kill many naive subjects. Opiates have been detected in urine of poppy-seed eaters as much as 48 hours after ingestion. Like ginkgo, it “increases blood flow to the brain”.

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