N Engl J Med 2003;349:1943-53. Copyright © 2003 Massachusetts Medical Society. pium is a bitter, brown, granular powder derived from the seedpod of the poppy ( Papaver somniferum ). People have used opium for the relief of pain and suffering for thousands of years. Before the 19th century, opium was cultivated and used chiefly in the Middle East, whereas in Europe and the United States it was a...

Opium arrests life, anesthetises. Well being comes from a kind of death. Without opium I am cold I catch cold I do not feel hungry. I am impatient to impose what I invent When I smoke I am warm, I do not know what colds are, I am hungry. My impatience disappears." "Opium lead s the organism towards death in euphoric mood. The tortures arise from the process of returning to life against one's wi...

BACKGROUND The main source of studies about effects of opium consumption on heart and brain attacks originates from Iran Therefore the aim of the present study was to assess opium addiction as a probable influencing factor for ischemic heart disease and ischemic stroke. MATERIALS AND METHODS A cross-sectional study was carried out in two Cardiology and Neurology clinics in Eastern Iran in 201...

opium-eaters brought to the jail to undergo sentence of imprisonment. The people of Sagor were worse off as regards opium taking than those of Narsingpur. My rule of practice was to stop opium completely at once. It is true that the prisoners complained of excruciating pain for a day or two, but this was, I think, more imaginary than real, or rather the sensation of a mind weakened and imbecile...

medicinal use of the opium poppy (papaver somniferum l) has ancient history, but the isolation of morphine was not described until the early nineteenth century. morphine is the most important alkaloid of opium poppy in the last 50 years. in the morphine pathway has been reported to generate morphine in this species, codm has a crucial role as the gene coding the enzyme responsible for demethyla...

Opium is one of the oldest herbal medicines currently used as an analgesic, sedative and antidiarrheal treatment. The effects of opium are principally mediated by the μ-, κ- and δ-opioid receptors. Opioid substances consist of all natural and synthetic alkaloids that are derived from opium. Most of their effects on gastrointestinal motility and secretion result from suppression of neural activi...

Opium (powdered poppy Capsules) mixed with sugars and other plant products is a popular home made remedy for colic, cough and tonics for infants and children in Baluchistan. Over a period of 7 years (1977.1983) 28 children between the ages of I month to 5 years were admitted in Civil Hospital Quetta due to opium poisoning accounting for 0.16% of all paediatric admissions during the same period....

We model the economic incentives surrounding opium crop production in Afghanistan. Specifically, we examine the impact of eradication policies when opium is used as a means of obtaining credit, and when the crops are produced in sharecropping arrangements. The analysis suggests that when perfect credit markets are available, an increased risk of eradication will lead to less land being allocate...

BACKGROUND The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of opium addiction and cigarette smoking on the complete blood count (CBC). METHODS Eighty-six male subjects, including 31 opium-addicted cigarette smokers (OACS), 19 opium-addicted non-cigarette smokers (OANCS), 17 non-opium-addicted cigarette smokers (NOACS), and 19 non-opium-addicted non-cigarette smokers (NOANCS) parti...

BACKGROUND A number of abnormalities has been identified among drug addicted users especially heroin addicts. However, there are a few studies to assess the opium effects on thyroid hormones. the aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of opium on the thyroid function tests. METHOD In this case-control, 50 male addicts, aged 20-50 years, with history of addiction to opium lastin...