Poppy Seeds
Botanical Name: Papaver somnifernum
Indian Name: Khas-khas.

The milky ooze from poppy plant obtained by incision from the unripened capsules and thickened by spontaneous evaporation, is known as opium. Opium is one of the most valuable medicines available in the sap of the plants, and if properly administered, can serve as a very useful drug. Poppy seeds are found in poppy heads. They are recommended in many prescriptions for tonics. The plant is endowed with roots of strong fragrance.

Poppy seeds are effective in thirst, fever, inflammation and irritation of the stomach. The root is employed as one of the ingredients in several cooling medicines. An infusion of the root is given as a febrifuge, or fever relieving drink and a powder in bilious complaints. The essence of the root is used as tonic because of its stimulating qualitites. It is believed to check vomiting in cholera.

Opium is useful in rheumatism, tumours of different kinds, cancers, carbuncles, abscesses, ulcers, leprosy, syphilis, tuberculosis of the lymph node. The commencing dose is 6 centigram of the extract. Beyond this, it is unsafe to go without any professional advice. This may be combined with 12 or 18 centigrams of camphor. Opium is very effective in spasms of bowels, relieving of pain and irritaition of the bladder caused by stone.

Opium can cause great harm if used without proper precautions, or in cases where the person is intolerant to its action or gets upset even with a smallest dose. In such cases, the drug should be avoided. Infants and young children have poor tolerance to opium and they should be administered only under medical advice. It should be avoided during pregnancy and in kidney diseases.

Pains and Aches Poppy seeds on the stalks, which have not been slit to produce opium have soporific properties and are used for relieving pain. They can be used beneficially in griping pains after child birth, colic and pain in the testicles.

Heat and Burning Sensation As an external remedy, the poppy plant has many uses. A paste of the root rubbed on the skin can remove burning sensation of the body. A paste of its pulverised roots in water can be used as a cooling agents. It finds use in external application in fevers.

Dry Itch Poppy seeds ground to paste with lime juice are effective when rubbed on the areas affected by dry itch.

Muscular and Other Pains Opium is useful as a liniment for soothing both muscular and neuralgic pains. The liniment can be prepared by mixing 90 centigrams of opium in 15 grams of coconut oil. It even soothe painful piles. In painful teeth cavities, a centigram of opium is put into the hollow of the tooth, but the saliva should not be swallowed.

Insomnia About 30 grams of milk extracted from the seeds mixed with sugar can be used for treating insomnia: A teaspoon of poppy seed oil taken every night is also very effective.

Dysentery Here is an easy to make home remedy for dysentery About quarter teaspoon of the powder of poppy seeds are sauted to a golden brown in honey. Taken twice a day, it gives relief from the symptoms As these seeds have a sedative effect, they should not be take for more than three days continuously.

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