ABSTRACT
The opium poppy is a commonly-grown ornamental flower whose sap serves as the source of opiates, morphine and codeine, as well as verapamil which is used in a variety of heart conditions including angina and dangerously fast heart rhythm disturbances. Papaver somniferum is thought to have originated in the western Mediterranean region. Pain is a common symptom and has presumably evolved to protect damaged body parts from further injury and encourage healing. Drug companies have long sought ways to retain the benefits of plant-derived opiates, chiefly morphine, without their addictive effects. Vasodilators are compounds that reduce the contraction of the smooth muscle surrounding blood vessels and this relaxation reduces blood pressure. However, modification of papaverine led to the development of verapamil, a potent vasodilator in humans. For the relief of pain they have no equal but the social, health and addiction problems from their use has become a pandemic, for which no solution has been found.
