Botanical name - Papaver somniferum Linn.
Family - Paparveraceae
Hindi name - Afeema
English name – Opium
Sanskrit names - Aaphook, Ahifen, Aphan, Niphen,Nagaphen,
Khashkhasha,
Botanical Description - The tree is 1 to 1.5 mtrs. high. Stalk is green in colour, tender, hairy and snigdha. Leaves are long and wide, alternately arranged with serrated margins. Flowers are white, red or black in colour. The fruit has the size of pomegranate fruit having different cells, small size, and it gets ruptured on its own. It is called as doda. This fruit shell is called as poshta. Seeds are white or black in colour, unctuous and sweet. They are called as poppy seeds (poshta dana or khaskhas.)
Aphoo is the latex of this fruit. The raw fruit is incised in the evening and on the next day, early in the morning. the latex is scratched and dried. This is morphine.
Varieties- According to the flowers, it is of 3 varieties
1) Khaskhas White - Its flower is yellowish white and seed is white.
2) Khaskhas Mansoor - Both flower and seed are red in colour.
3) Khaskhas black - Both flower and seeds are black or blue.
There are four varieties according to flowers mentioned in Nighantu.
1) White 2) Yellow 3) Black 4) Chitra
According to action, four varieties have been described.
1) Jaran 2) Maran 3) Dharan 4) Saran
Modern science has classified it by names of the countries of origin.
1) Turkey 2) European 3) Persian 4) Indian.
Turkish opium is used most frequently.
Habitat- In the countries of the northern temperate zone, Asia minor, Persia,
China, Nepal, Burma, India. In India also especially Uttar Pradesh, Bihar,
Bengal, Vindhya Pradesh, Malva, Assam.
Chemical composition - It has 29 different active principles amongst which morphine (5.2%), codeine (0.3-4%), thebaine (0.3%) and narcotine (2 to 7%) are the main principles.
1) PRIMARY ALKALOIDS
1) Morphine-5-21%
2) Codine-0.3-4%
3) Narcottine-2-0%
4) Nardin
5) Papaverine 6) Thebain -0,3%
7) Pseudomorphine
8) Cryptopine 9)Laudanine
10) Laudanoisine 11) Meconidine 12) Rhoeadine
13) Codamine
14) Nascopine
15) Lanthopine
16)Xanthaline 17)Protophine 18)Hydrocatarnine
2) SECONDARY ALKALOIDS
1)Apomorphine
2)Apocodeine
3)Thebamine
4)Porphyroxine
5)Oxydimorphine
6)Desoxycodeine 7)Catarnine 8)Rhosadenine
3) NEUTRAL PRINCIPE
1) Opionin 2) Meconin 3) Meconoidin.
4) ORGANIC ACIDS
1) Lactic acid 2) Meconic acid.
Water -16%, resin, glucose, fat, volatile oil, aromatic principles, ammonia, salts of calcium and magnesium.
Therapeutics Properties-
Guna-sookshma, ruksha
Rasa- tikta, kashaya
Veerya-ushna
Vipak-katu
Prabhav-
madak (intoxicating in nature)
Dosha- As it is ushna veerya, kapha vata shamak and vitiates pitta, intake of higher dose induces ojahakshaya and valavriddhi and produces delirium. Since it is toxic, death may also occur. It is useful in kapha vata disorders.
USES -
External uses - It is ushna, it acts as an analgesic and anti inflammatory. It is used in inflammation of joints, pleuritis and in inflammation of many parts of body, as single drug or mixed with any other liquid mixture for external applicaton. In pain in the eyes, conjuctivits, otalgia-its application or aashchotan is done.
Its suppository is used in haemorrhoids, fissures and other rectal disorders. Its enema is used in perianal pain.
Internal uses-
Nervous system- Ahiphen is vyavayee, vikashi, intoxicating and
ushna, it alleviates vata. Therefore it acts as an analgesic, sedative
and anticonvulsant.
It stimulaties vomiting centre in the brain, vagus nerve and
centres of contraction of pupils, it is useful in abdominal colic,
renal colic, sciatica and parshvashool. It is effective in pain
induced insomnia. it is anticonvulsant, it is used in epilapsy
spasm, Parkinson's disease (kampa vata), dhanustambha (tetany)
and in strychnine poisoning.
Digestive system- Ahiphen is ruksha and Kashay, it reduces
salivation, lowers appetite and an astringent. Due to its
astringent action, excessive quantity of urine, sweat, breastmilk
and also bile are reduced. It also reduces blood sugar.
The special property of morphine is to reduce pain. It induces
constipation by contracting abdominal muscles, stomach and
intestines. Due to these properties, it is used in abdominal colic,
diarrhoea.
Respiratory system- Ahiphen is a depressant of the respiratory
system. it is ushina, it is kaphanashak and antiasthmatic. It is
useful in cough caused by vata and kapha, whooping cough,
pleuritis, rhinitis.
Urinary system- Normally the quantity of urine dose not get
reduced but sometimes it causes retention of urine. It helps in
reducing urine sugar in diabetes. It is useful in ikshumeha.
Reproductive system - Ahipen is ruksha, kashay, vyavayee and
vikasi, it reduces all the dhatus and impotency occurs. But due to
aphoo, shukra stambhan occurs.
It immediately reduces pain after delivery or abortion.
Skin- Ahiphen it is ushna, it acts as diaphoretic and is useful in
sheetajanya effects.
Temperature- Ahiphen is used in antipyretic and especially in
fever associated with chills when often other medicines are not
effective.
Eyes- It constricts the pupils and increases the intraoccular
pressure.
Absorption and excretion- In the stomach its slow absorption
occurs, but its absorption occurs faster in the intestine. It is
excreted 90% through urine and its remaining 10% is excreted
through stool, breastmilk, gastric juice and sweat.
Useful parts- Fruit pulp.
Dose - 1/4 to 1 gunja, stimulant in small dose, in high dose it acts
as depressant and is fatal.
Formulations- Ahiphenasav, Nidrodayavati, Karpoor rasa,
Dugdhavati.
Contraindications-
1) In pneumonitis, chhinna shwas
2)Meningitis, pyrexia and in brain haemorrhage due to exertion.
3)In intestinal weakness and gastric weakness and in their
relaxation state.
4) In serious kidney diseases especially in uremia.
5) If in chronic diseases, morphine is given for treatment, by its
continuous intake the person is addicted.
6) Children and old people.
References -
उक्तं खसफलक्षीरमाकमहिफेनकम् ।
आफूकं शोषणं ग्राहि श्लेष्मघ्नं वातपित्तलम् ।। (भा.प्र.)
खस्थत सूक्ष्मवीज: स्यात्सुवीज सूक्ष्मतंडुलः ।
खस्खसोमपुर पाकेकान्तिवीर्यवनपद (रा.नि.)
(Reference-Ayurvedic pharmacology & Therapeutic uses of medicinal plants)
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