Question

Opium is an extract of the plant

• A. Cannabis sativa
• B. Stem of Ricinus communis
• C. Unripe fruit of poppy plant
• D. Leaf of coconut palnt

Answer 1

Answer: (C)

Opium is the name for the latex produced within the seed pods of the opium poppy, Papaver somniferum. The plant is believed to have evolved from a wild strain, Papaver setigerum, which grows in coastal areas of the Mediterranean Sea.

Today, P. somniferum is the only species of Papaver used to produce opium. Opium contains morphine, codeine, noscapine, papaverine, and thebaine. All but thebaine are used clinically as analgesics to reduce pain without a loss of consciousness.

Therefore, the correct answer is option C.