Botanical Name - Papaver somniferum Category - Medicinal Form - Dry Part Used - Seeds General Information - Poppy plants (Papaver somniferum, Papaver paeoniflorum, Papaver giganteum) are herbaceous annual plants that can grow almost anywhere. Of all the different species, P. somniferum is the most popular due to its beautiful flowers. Moreover, seeds are used for making muffins, breads, and other food. The stems and pods are often used for flower arrangements. Opium is found in the latex (a milky fluid) of unripe pods of poppy plants 1 - 3 weeks after flowering. The milky fluid is collected by incision of green seed pods. Phytochemicals - More than 30 alkaloids have been isolated from P. somniferum out of which three alkaloids morphine, codeine, and noscapine (antitussive) are used directly in therapy. Thebaine is a biosynthetic intermediate of the morphine pathway which is used by the pharmaceutical industry for synthesis of oxycodone, oxymorphone, buprenorphine, and naloxone, an opiate antagonist.