Opiates and related molecules are medically essential, but their production via field cultivation of opium poppy Papaver somniferum leads to supply inefficiencies and insecurity. As an alternative production strategy, we developed baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a microbial host for the transformation of opiates. Yeast strains engineered to express heterologous genes from P. somniferu...

The leaves of a tropical plant, Mitragyna speciosa KORTH (Rubiaceae), have been traditionally used as a substitute for opium. Phytochemical studies of the constituents of the plant growing in Thailand and Malaysia have led to the isolation of several 9-methoxy-Corynanthe-type monoterpenoid indole alkaloids, including new natural products. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by s...

The paper examines the rise and fall of Golden Triangle opium-producing region, by focusing on local economic social conditions, as well international factors that have affected opium production in Myanmar (formerly Burma), Laos, Thailand. By 1970, countries produced 70 percent world’s opium, but even late 1990s, figure remained 66 percent, only today has region become less significant, a resul...

Since the 19th century, opium has been produced and consumed in the areas of Asia, currently referred to as the Golden Crescent and the Golden Triangle (1). The Golden Crescent lies in South and Southwest Asia, including districts in the Northwest Frontier Province of Pakistan, the adjacent Badakhshan area of Afghanistan and the Baluchistan area of Iran. The area has been the scene of tradition...

BACKGROUND Myocardial infarction (MI) is a heart condition caused by the suspension of blood circulation in a part of the myocardium. There are different risk factors contributing to a heart attack. Some believe that endorphins and endogenous opioids play an important role in causing MIs. OBJECTIVES This study intended to determine the relationship between opium dependency and mortality rate ...

BACKGROUND Due to this belief that opium may have beneficial effects on diabetes or cardiovascular risk factors, the present study aimed to assess the potential and possible effects of opium consumption on diabetes control and some cardiovascular risk factors in diabetic patients. METHODS This study enrolled 374 diabetic subjects from diabetes care centers in Kerman, Iran, including opium use...

Opium consumption is increasing in some eastern societies, where it is grown. We investigated the effect of opium smoking on plasma atherogenic index and incidence of lethal cardiac arrhythmia, i.e. ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF) in rabbits. Animals were divided into two-, normo- and hyper-cholesterolemic main groups fed with normal or high cholesterol diet prior...

The importance of opium as a cash crop among the Hmong 1 in north Thailand is widely known and has been studied in detaii.2 The association between the Hmong and Yunnanese "Haw" traders, through whom the Hmong have traditionally marketed opium, is also well known. It is a common misconception, however, that opium plays a central role in Hmong culture. It has, for example, apparently little or n...

Article type: Short communication Objective(s): The aim of this study was to determine the important molecules involved in apoptosis induction by opium in Jurkat cell line. Materials and Methods: Jurkat cells were incubated 48 hrs with 2.86×10-5 g/ml concentration of opium and apoptosis as well as expression levels of related molecules were measured. Results: Our results demonstrated that 50.3±...