Opium Poppy

At a glance

Origin / distribution: Asia, Japan(Okinawa), Europe, India(Unani), China, Iraq, India(Ayurvedic), France

Cultural traditions: not documented

Recorded uses: Ache(Head), Ache(Stomach), Analgesic, Anodyne

Science studied: ALKALOIDS, ALLOCRYPTOPINE, APOMORPHINE, ARACHIDIC-ACID

Research volume: 0 indexed records · volume only · methodology ↗

Legal status: Varies by jurisdiction; not assessed in this record.

Names and identity

Family: Papaveraceae

Scientific name: Papaver somniferum

Common names: Opium Poppy, Poppyseed Poppy, ābu el-num, Anh túc, Apian, Apiyun, Blaumohn, Borstiger Schlaf-Mohn, Buiwg Ffengig, Candu, Cascall, Codlaidín, Cwsglys, Daržinė aguona, Dormideira, Draumsól, Drewg Gwyn, Durmideira, Llys y Cwsg, Llysiau Cwsg, Llysiau'r Cwsg

POWO: 673724-1 · WCVP June 2026 / POWO backbone

History

The source record documents this plant in Asia, Japan(Okinawa), Europe, Elsewhere, India(Unani), China, Iraq, India(Ayurvedic) and 11 additional places.

It records these historical or traditional applications:

• Ache(Head)
• Ache(Stomach)
• Analgesic
• Anodyne
• Antidote(Cicuta)
• Aphrodisiac
• Asthma
• Astringent

This summary is limited to the cited source record.

Origins and distribution

• Asia
• Japan(Okinawa)
• Europe
• Elsewhere
• India(Unani)
• China
• Iraq
• India(Ayurvedic)
• France
• India
• Malaya
• Turkey

Documented cultural uses

• Ache(Head)
• Ache(Stomach)
• Analgesic
• Anodyne
• Antidote(Cicuta)
• Aphrodisiac
• Asthma
• Astringent
• Bite(Snake)
• Bruise
• Calmative
• Cancer

Cultural record detail

These entries are transcribed from the cited ethnobotanical source; they do not represent current advice or a claim of efficacy.

• Ache(Head) · Asia · "
• Ache(Stomach) · Japan(Okinawa) · "
• Analgesic · Europe · "
• Anodyne · Elsewhere · "
• Anodyne · India(Unani) · "
• Anodyne · China · "
• Anodyne · Iraq · "
• Antidote(Cicuta) · Elsewhere · "
• Aphrodisiac · China · "
• Aphrodisiac · India(Ayurvedic) · "
• Aphrodisiac · India(Unani) · "
• Asthma · China · "
• Asthma · Elsewhere · "
• Astringent · China · "
• Bite(Snake) · France · "
• Bruise · Elsewhere · "
• Bruise · Europe · "
• Calmative · Iraq · "
• Cancer · India · "
• Carminative · China · "
• Catarrh · Elsewhere · "
• Catarrh · India(Unani) · "
• Catarrh · China · "
• Cold · Iraq · "

99 additional documented entries remain in the source record.

Contemporary uses

Contemporary practice is not documented separately in this record.

Scientific research

Indexed records indicate research activity; they do not establish efficacy or safety.

Indexed research records

• Nutritional, Phytochemical, and Antioxidant Profiling of Cold-Pressed Oils and Press-Cake Byproducts from White, Yellow, and Blue Poppy (Papaver somniferum L.) Seeds · 2026 source ↗
• Metabolomic signatures predict heterotic performance in opium poppy (Papaver somniferum). · 2025 source ↗
• Phenotypic classification of opium poppy genotypes (Papaver somniferum L.) based on morpho-phenological traits. · 2026 source ↗

Scientific compounds

Chemical presence is not evidence of clinical efficacy.

• ALKALOIDS
• ALLOCRYPTOPINE
• APOMORPHINE
• ARACHIDIC-ACID
• ARGININE
• ASH
• ASPARTIC-ACID
• BERBERINE
• CAOUTCHOUC
• CARBOHYDRATES
• CERYL-PALMITATE
• CHROMIUM
• COBALT
• CODAMINE
• CODEINE-N-OXIDE
• CORYTUBERINE

Legality

No exact international trade listing was returned by the CITES checklist for this accepted name. Country-specific law is not assessed here.

Consult the CITES species checklist for current international and national requirements.

Reference images

Sources

Plants of the World Online (POWO) · Kew data terms; cite POWO/WCVP

World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) · CC BY 3.0

CC0 · Dr. Duke raw CSV archive

Contributions and revisions

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