A poisoning syndrome

Opioid poisoning

Morphine, codeine, thebaine, and the rest of the opium poppy’s alkaloids, in opium, laudanum, paregoric, and Dover’s powder.

Opioid poisoning: how soon does it show?

Minutes to an hour.

How does it run?

Drowsiness, pinpoint pupils, and the slowing of the breath until it stops; tolerance and dependence with repeated use.

What is done for it?

Naloxone, which reverses it within minutes; breathing for the patient.

Historical and descriptive, not medical advice. In a poisoning, call a poison centre or emergency services.

Which substances in the database cause it?

CompoundDiascordiumDiascordium Fracastorii A confection of water germander with opium, cinnamon, bole, and other drugs.Caution

CompoundDover’s powderPulvis ipecacuanhae compositus; pulvis Doveri Ipecacuanha and opium, with salts, in a powder.

CompoundLaudanumSydenham’s laudanum A tincture of opium in wine, with saffron, cinnamon, and cloves.Deadly

Mithridate, plate: Drug jar for mithridate, Annibale Fontana, Milan, 1580–90.

CompoundMithridateMitridato The antidote attributed by legend to Mithridates VI of Pontus, the forerunner of theriac.Canale

CompoundNepentheGreek nēpenthes, “no-sorrow” Unidentified; opium is the favorite guess.

Opium poppy (Papaver somniferum), plate: Papaver somniferum (opium poppy)

Plant Opium poppyPapaver; Greek mēkōn; the juice, opion Papaver somniferum; opium is the dried latex of its unripe seed heads.Caution

CompoundParegoricElixir paregoricum; camphorated tincture of opium Opium, camphor, benzoic acid, and anise oil in spirit.

Theriac, plate: Drug jar for theriac, Italy, 18th century

Compound TheriacTeriaca The great compound antidote of antiquity, with about sixty ingredients in Galen’s formulation, including viper flesh and opium; Venice was a celebrated center of its manufacture.Canale

Sources

Goldfrank’s Toxicologic Emergencies, 11th ed. (2019), “Opioids.” Standard reference work