Opium

Opium is the dried latex obtained by cutting immature adult boll of the poppy family (Papaveraceae) belonging to opium poppy (Papaver somniferum L. bot.). During the drying process comes from the milky sap of autoxidation a brown to black mass, the raw opium (see figure below). The main active constituents of opium are the alkaloids morphine, codeine and thebaine. The synthetic diamorphine, commonly known as heroin, is the most widely used illicit morphine derivative.

For the production of opium is generally uses the following method: The seed pods are usually scored late in the afternoon, about an inch deep, making the first pink latex escaping. The morning after the schwarzoxidierte raw opium is scraped from the capsules. That is, by heating, kneading and gentle roasting, followed by water extraction, and several months of fermentation, biological reaction with the mold Aspergillus niger called the smoking opium (Chandu also produced), the smoke is inhaled. Smoke, but can be drunk raw opium dissolved in alcohol, eaten in solid form as a tincture or injected using a syringe.

For the legal, pharmaceutical purposes by the production of opium, the above method is generally considered to be too labor intensive. One has therefore the opium from poppy straw by abmäht the plants, dried, washed and shred the opium with solvents.


Source: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opium
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