March 23rd, 2007 | admin

Poppy or opium (Papaver somniferum) is produced in India at limited locations. Extracts from poppy seeds have narcotic properties. Sushruta, the ancient Indian Ayurvedic surgeon recommended the use of poppy as a anesthetic before surgery.

At the time of harvesting, the pre-ripe fruits are scarred with a sharp device, which causes the oozing out of a milky latex, which sticks to the fruit and becomes a resin. This is the raw opium.

The biggest producer (though illegal) of opium is Afghanistan, where most of the poppy cultivated is used for producing heroin, which has a wide under the cover market among the youth of US, Brazil and other south American countries and most European countries.

The medicinal applications of opium include pain killers, and anti-carcinogens etc.

Poppy seeds have culinary applications too. Poppy seed breads of various kinds are popular in Europe and Americas.