Tuesday 21 September 2004

human cells make morphine

To determine whether mammals are capable of synthesizing morphine, Zenk and colleagues grew human nerve and pancreas cells and then screened them for morphine, as well as known precursors of morphine, using labeled oxygen molecules.

All compounds were present and contained the labeled oxygen molecules, indicating that human cells were capable of producing morphine. Dietary origin or contamination can be ruled out, the researchers say, demonstrating that morphine can be synthesized not only in plants but also in human and animal cells.
black market nerve and pancreas cells harvesting opiates
(we're really close to a very sick, very wierd drug war)

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