Morphine
Morphine was first discovered in 1803 by a German pharmacist who named it after the Roman god Morpheus, the god of dreams. Patients taking morphine often report insomnia and nightmares, as well as the other side effects of euphoria, lethargy, reduced hunger, constipation, drowsiness and blurred vision. This analgesic drug acts directly on the nervous system and is a powerful pain reliever.
Morphine is one of the 20 odd alkaloids that are found in opium. It is a highly addictive substance. During the Civil War 400,000 soldiers became addicted to opium due to its use as an anesthetic during surgery, and this was known as "the soldiers disease". Opium is obtained from the dried juice of the opium poppy, which grows in many Asian countries.
Morphine has an interesting structure. It is made up of five benzene rings, and two of them are at right angles to the rest. Codeine and heroin are cousins of morphine with very similar structures. Interestingly, back in the 1800's morphine was prescribed as a cure for opium and alcohol addiction. Alcohol was considered more damaging to the body than morphine. When heroin was discovered it was used for a while as a cure for morphine addiction, and now methadone is used for heroin addicts! Morphine used to be widely availabe without a prescription. It was used as a recreational drug and could be obtained by mail order and from drugstores. In 1914 the Harrison Narcotics Act prohibited possession of narcotics, including morphine, unless prescribed by a doctor.
The information on this page is not meant to be used in treatment of medical conditions. Please seek the advice of a physician about any medical condition or symptom. Those with medical conditions should consult a medical professional about the appropriateness of taking dietary supplements or diet therapy, and how these methods will interact with their medications.