الفهرس 
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Abstract
Intravenous drug abuse is an ever-increasing problem in today’s society. Some of the complications associated with intravenous drug abuse include compartment syndrome, rhabdomyolysis, myocardial damage and neuropathies. We discuss here a highly unusual manifestations of heroin overdose in heroin addicts with transverse myelitis and rhabdomyolysis leading to compartment syndrome and renal failure, and because heroin is processed from morphine, a naturally-occurring substance extracted from the opium poppy - Papaver somniferum - a plant indigenous to the Middle East and Southeast Asia. so we will discuss heroin effects with strong refrene to its origin, history, distribution, mechanisms of action, clinical effects and complications.
The opium poppy, Papaver somniferum L. (Papaveraceae), is one of the oldest medicinal plants in recorded history. It is believed that the plant originated in Asia Minor, but the exact time and place of discovery are unknown (Wink, 1998).
Today, narcotic addiction permeates all socioeconomic classes, from economically underserved communities, to affluent neighborhoods, to the U.S. armed forces.. Opioid analgesics are readily and easily available. These compounds are not necessarily obtained only through illicit drug dealing (street drugs), but their supply is also abundant through fraudulent and illegitimate prescriptions, as well as in the course of overprescribing practices. Health care professionals are also particularly vulnerable to the addictive potential of narcotics, principally due to easy accessibility (Bruneton, 1995).
The opium poppy is an annual herb with an erect stem, having a solitary flower that is white, red, or purplish, depending on the cultivar. All parts of the plant exude a white latex on incision. The taxonomy of the genus Papaver is quite complex, with approximately 100 species being found in 9-12 sections (Robbers, et al., 1996).