Scientists Unlock Gene Secrets of Opium Poppy Drug, University of York Study
Scientists have unravelled exactly how opium poppies produce a non-addictive compound that can both suppress coughs and kill tumor cells, paving the way for improved production of the medicine. Opium poppies, the source of illicit heroin, are also important for producing medical painkillers such as morphine and codeine, along with noscapine, which has been used for decades as a cough suppressant.