Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Narcotoline
Introduction
Narcotoline is an opiate alkaloid chemically related to noscapine. It binds to the same receptors in the brain as noscapine to act as an antitussive[1], and has also been used in tissue culture media.[2] It can be obtained from the opium poppy Papaver somniferum. It is present at much higher levels in strains used for culinary purposes (poppyseed production) than in high-morphine strains used for opium production.[3]