Ayurvedic Properties

Taste (Rasa): Bitter (Tikta), Astringent (Kashaya)
Quality (Guna): Heavy (Guru), Dry (Ruksha)
Potency (Virya): Hot (Ushna)
Post-digestive (Vipaka): Pungent (Katu)
Key Constituents: Morphine, codeine, thebaine, papaverine, narcotine — opiate alkaloids
Also Known As: English: Opium
Sanskrit: अहिफेन, अफ़ीम, काकदल, खसखस
Hindi: अफ़ीम

Overview

Poppy Seeds (Papaver sp.), known in Sanskrit as Ahiphena (meaning "serpent's poison" for its narcotic properties), are used in their non-narcotic seed form. Their rasa is pungent, astringent, and sweet, with heating virya and sweet vipaka. They pacify Vata and Kapha while increasing Pitta.

Poppy seeds are similar in properties to nutmeg and are often used in conjunction with it. They serve as an excellent astringent for the intestines while possessing carminative and stomachic properties that increase Agni and promote absorption. They strengthen the villi of the small intestine, making them particularly effective for nervous digestive disorders in children and high Vata types. As a culinary spice, they are antidotal to the gas-producing properties of legumes.

Acting on the plasma, blood, muscle, bone, marrow, nerve tissues and through the nervous, digestive, respiratory, and circulatory systems, poppy seeds function as an astringent, carminative, antispasmodic, sedative, and analgesic. They are indicated for diarrhea, dysentery, abdominal pain, poor absorption, cough, insomnia, and nerve pain. Their quality is tamasic. Precautions include gastritis, colitis, and high Pitta conditions. Typical dosage is 250 mg to 1 g as powder or infusion.

Source: The Yoga of Herbs, Section A: Commonly Available Herbs

Therapeutic Actions (Karma)

Vedanasthapana (analgesic — powerful pain reliever)
Nidrajanana (induces deep sleep)
Grahi (absorbent — stops diarrhea)
Shukra Stambhana (delays ejaculation)
Kasa hara (cough suppressant)

Source: Bhavaprakash Nighantu, Varga 1

How to Use Opium by Condition

Explore how Opium is used for specific health concerns — with dosage, preparation methods, and classical references for each.

Opium for Liver Disorders

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Opium for Malabsorption

▶ Classical Text References (2 sources)

References in Sharangadhara Samhita

Ahiphena (opium poppy — Papaver somniferum) one Pala.
— Sharangadhara Samhita, Madhyama Khanda, Chapter 6: Churnakalpana (Powder Preparations - Extended)

Administer Ahiphena (opium poppy, Papaver somniferum) medicated wine (asava) in proper dosage.
— Sharangadhara Samhita, Parishishtam, Chapter 1: Diseases of the Liver (Yakrit Roga Adhikara)

Source: Sharangadhara Samhita, Madhyama Khanda, Chapter 6: Churnakalpana (Powder Preparations - Extended); Parishishtam, Chapter 1: Diseases of the Liver (Yakrit Roga Adhikara)

References in Sharangadhara Samhita

That which first pervades the entire body and only then undergoes digestion is called Vyavayi (pervasive), like Bhanga (Cannabis sativa) and Phena (opium, born of serpent-referring to Ahiphena/Papaver somniferum).
— Sharangadhara Samhita, Purva Khanda, Chapter 4: Dipana-Pachana Adikathanam (Digestive Actions etc.)

Ahiphena (opium poppy — Papaver somniferum) one Pala.
— Sharangadhara Samhita, Madhyama Khanda, Chapter 6: Churnakalpana (Powder Preparations - Extended)

Also: Gunja (Abrus precatorius), Ahiphena (Papaver somniferum — opium) — these seven are the Upavisha (sub-poison) varieties.
— Sharangadhara Samhita, Madhyama Khanda, Chapter 12: Rasadishodhana-Maranakalpana (Mercury and Rasa Preparations)

Administer Ahiphena (opium poppy, Papaver somniferum) medicated wine (asava) in proper dosage.
— Sharangadhara Samhita, Parishishtam, Chapter 1: Diseases of the Liver (Yakrit Roga Adhikara)

Ahiphena (opium) asava is used as a post-operative analgesic — a remarkable early use of opiate analgesia.
— Sharangadhara Samhita, Parishishtam, Chapter 1: Diseases of the Liver (Yakrit Roga Adhikara)

Source: Sharangadhara Samhita, Purva Khanda, Chapter 4: Dipana-Pachana Adikathanam (Digestive Actions etc.); Madhyama Khanda, Chapter 6: Churnakalpana (Powder Preparations - Extended); Madhyama Khanda, Chapter 12: Rasadishodhana-Maranakalpana (Mercury and Rasa Preparations); Parishishtam, Chapter 1: Diseases of the Liver (Yakrit Roga Adhikara)

Medical Disclaimer: The information on this page is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Ayurvedic treatments should be pursued under the guidance of a qualified practitioner (BAMS/MD Ayurveda). Always consult your healthcare provider before starting any new treatment. Content is sourced from classical Ayurvedic texts and may not reflect the latest medical research.