laudanum
Sign in to saveLaudanum is a tincture of opium containing approximately 10% powdered opium by weight (the equivalent of 1% morphine). Laudanum is prepared by dissolving extracts from the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) in alcohol (ethanol).
Key facts
- Drug.verifiedrevid
- 451786428
- Drug.image
- Laudanum.jpeg
- Drug.width
- 170px
- Drug.alt
- Orange transparent bottle labelled "opium tincture USP (deodorized)." There is a warning label declaring the product to be poisonous.
- Drug.type
- combo
- Drug.component1
- Opium
- Drug.class1
- Analgesic
- Drug.component2
- Ethanol
- Drug.class2
- Tincture
- Drug.pregnancy_US
- C
- Drug.tradename
- Dropizol
- Drug.routes_of_administration
- Oral, buccal, sublingual
- Drug.legal_US
- Schedule II
- Drug.legal_UK
- Class A
- Drug.legal_UN
- Narcotic Schedule I
- Drug.ATC_prefix
- A07
- Drug.ATC_suffix
- DA02
via Wikipedia infobox
Article
28 sectionsContents
- History
- Paracelsus' laudanum
- British laudanum
- Sydenham's laudanum
- 18th century
- 19th century
- 20th century
- 21st century
- Historical varieties
- Modern status
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Pharmacology
- Medical uses
- Diarrhea
- Neonatal abstinence syndrome
- Hazards
- Potency of laudanum
- Danger of confusion with paregoric
- Misinterpretation of "DTO"
- Side effects
- Treatment for overdose
- Fiction
- Literature
- Film and television
- See also
- References
- External links
Laudanum is a tincture of opium containing approximately 10% powdered opium by weight (the equivalent of 1% morphine). Laudanum is prepared by dissolving extracts from the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) in alcohol (ethanol).
Reddish-brown in color and extremely bitter, laudanum contains several opium alkaloids, including morphine and codeine. Laudanum was historically used to treat a variety of conditions, but its principal use was as a strong pain medication and cough suppressant. Until the early 20th century, laudanum was sold without a prescription and was a constituent of many patent medicines. Laudanum has since been recognized as addictive and is strictly regulated and controlled throughout most of the world. The United States Controlled Substances Act, for example, lists it on Schedule II, the second strictest category.