Posts Tagged Under: opium

Heroin and Hypodermic Needle

Did you know that…..

the invention of the hypodermic needle played an important role in the story of addiction to drugs ?

In 1853 an Scottish physician, Alexander Woods, invented the hypodermic needle. At the time of hypodermic’s discovery doctor thought that the use of hypodermic needle would prevent addiction to  drug. The explanation for that if the drug did not reach the stomach, the person would not develop a “hunger” for them.

The first narcotic drug administrated by hypodermic needle was Morphine. The second one was Heroin, which was isolated from opium in 1898.

hypodermic needle

hypodermic needles

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Narcotics Drugs

Narcotic drugs are classified into two groups.

1 .- Opium and its derivatives, Morphine, Narcotine, Papaverine, and Codeine.

2 .- Their synthetic equivalents, such as Methadone.

Originally it was thought that each of these drugs was not addictive. Subsequently it was shown that all narcotics cause addiction.

(Edited by Dr. María Moya Guirao, MD)

poppy

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Origin of Heroin

Did you know that…..
Heroin was isolated from opium in 1898 ?

Heroin was first isolated from opium as a non-addictive substitute for Morphine. At first it was thought that Heroin could solve the problem of addiction to Morphine.

About fifteen years later scientists discovered the great addictive power of Heroin.

More recently, something similar happened with the Methadone. In this case also it was believed that it was a drug without the problem of causing addiction. Unfortunately, Methadone is also an addictive drug.

(Edited by Dr. María Moya Guirao, MD)

Heroin

Heroin was isolated from opium in 1898 ?.

Heroin was first isolated from opium as a non-addictive substitute for morphine, and therefore Heroin will could solve the problem of addiction to Morphine.

Until about fifteen years later scientics did not recognize the great addictive power of Heroin.

More recently, something similar happens with the Methadone, ie in this case was believed that it
was a drug without the problem of addiction. Unfortunately, methadone is also addictive.

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Morphine

Did you know that…..

At the beginning of the nineteenth century Friedrich Sertürner (1783-1841), a german pharmacist, isolated an active constituent from opium ?

Morphine is the name for that drug.

Others alkaloids derived from opium are Codeine and Papaverine.

Morphine, Codeine and Papaverine have in common too that they have important medical properties, for example the Codeine is active upon the cough centre, and the Morphine is a powerful analgesic.

(Edited by Dr. María Moya Guirao, MD)

Retrato de Friedrich Sertürner

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Homer and the Opium

Did you know that…..

Homer already knew the properties of the opium’s poppies ?

The Greek author of The Iliad and The Odyssey refers to the opium poppy and its properties as the flower of the  “lethal slumber“.

(Edited by Dr. María Moya Guirao, MD)

"Homer"

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Laudanum

Did you know that…..

The Laudanum was widely used in Europe during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries as an analgesic ?

The Laudanum was a tincture of opium that it was taken orally to relieve pain. It composition was opium, alcohol or any other alcoholic beverages such as wine, spices such as saffron and cinnamon, and products as curious as honey or licorice.

The Laudanum was also prescribed for what we know today as Panic Attack.

The use of Laudanum was so widespread that there was many historical figures who became addicted to laudanum, as King George IV of England and the poet Thomas de Quincey.

In 1912 some countries signed a covention in Holland called the “Hague Convention” regulating the use of opium and its derivatives.

Recall that opium is smoked in China for centuries, and Hesiod tells us (eighth century BC) in his book “Theogony” that opium poppy was cultivated in ancient Greece also.

(Edited by Dr. María Moya Guirao, MD)

"Laudanum"

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