Alkaloid formation of Papaver somniferum in Finland

Contents of morphine, codeine, thebaine, noscapine and papaverine were investigated by high performance liquid chromatography in six UNL strains of Papaver somniferum grown in harch climatic conditions in different parts of Finland. P. somniferum can grow and produce alkaloids as far north as in Utsjoki, close to the Arctic sea. The maximum alkaloid concentrations were usually found immediately after the flowering stage. Small and indistinct differences in the contents of alkaloids due to climatic variations between different years and latitude of the growing place were found. The alkaloid spectrum, however, primarily depends on genetic factors; our material consisted of three different chemotypes.