Morphine is a potent natural opioid alkaloid derived from the opium poppy Papaver somniferum, long recognized as one of the most effective agents for relieving severe pain. Discovered and isolated in the early 19th century by German pharmacist Friedrich Sertürner who named it after Morpheus, the Greek god of dreams morphine marked the beginning of modern pharmacology as the first active plant compound ever purified. Throughout the 1800s it became widely used for surgical anesthesia, battlefield medicine, and treatment of acute pain, especially after the invention of the hypodermic needle, which enabled more precise dosing. Its effectiveness made it a medical breakthrough, but its strong dependence potential also became evident, leading to increased regulation in the 20th century. Despite the development of many synthetic and semi-synthetic opioids, morphine remains a gold-standard analgesic in clinical practice due to its well-characterized effects and reliability in managing severe and chronic pain.
