Friedrich Sertürner

Friedrich Wilhelm Adam Sertürner (19 June 1783 – 20 February 1841) was a German pharmacist and a pioneer of alkaloid chemistry. He is best known for his discovery of morphine in 1804.[1][2][3]

Friedrich Sertürner
Friedrich Wilhelm Adam Sertürner
Born19 June 1783
Neuhaus
Died20 February 1841(1841-02-20) (aged 57)
Hamelin
NationalityGerman
Known fordiscovering morphine
Scientific career
FieldsPharmacology, Alkaloid chemistry

Biography

Friedrich Wilhelm Adam Sertürner was born to Joseph Simon Serdinner and Marie Therese Brockmann on 19 June 1783, in Neuhaus, North Rhine-Westphalia (now part of Paderborn). After his parents died, he became a pharmacist's apprentice in Paderborn.[2]

Sertürner was the first to isolate morphine from opium. He called the isolated alkaloid "morphium" after the Greek god of dreams, Morpheus. He published a comprehensive paper on its isolation, crystallization, crystal structure, and pharmacological properties, which he studied first in stray dogs and then in self-experiments.[4] Morphine was not only the first alkaloid to be extracted from opium, but the first ever alkaloid to be isolated from any plant. Thus Sertürner became the first person to isolate the active ingredient associated with a medicinal plant or herb.[1][5][2] The branch of science that he originated has since become known as alkaloid chemistry.[2]

In 1806 Sertürner moved to Einbeck, working as a pharmacists' assistant. In 1809, Sertürner opened the first pharmacy he owned, in Einbeck. He continued to investigate the effects of morphine.[2] After the publication of his paper "Ueber das Morphium als Hauptbestandteil des Opiums" in 1817, his work on morphine became more widely known and morphine became more widely used.[6] In 1822, Sertürner bought the main pharmacy in Hamelin (Rathaus Apotheke), where he worked until his death on 20 February 1841. He was buried in Einbeck.[2]

Isolation of morphine

During his efforts to isolate morphine from opium between 1804 and 1816, Sertürner relied on animal and human testing to evaluate the results of his work. His 1806 paper describes a highly impure alcoholic extract of opium that was tested on a mouse and three dogs, one of which died as a result.[7]

As described in his 1817 paper, he finally found success extracting colourless crystals of pure morphine by precipitation. He dissolved the crystals in alcohol and tested the effects of this solution by swallowing it together with 3 boys, “none older than seventeen years.” He administered it gradually, in three doses of half-grains. After the third dose, symptoms of intoxication increased to an almost fatal extent.[8] Concerned by this result, Sertürner drank several ounces of vinegar along with the boys, inducing extreme vomiting. He was not fully conscious while responding to the situation:[7]

It presented as pain in the region of the stomach, exhaustion, and severe narcosis that came close to fainting. I also was subject to the same fate. Being in the supine position, I fell into a dream-like state and sensed in the extremities, particularly the arms, a slight twitching which accompanied the pulse beats. These distinct symptoms of true intoxication, particularly the frail condition of the three young men, caused me so much concern that I, half unconscious, drank more than a quarter of a bottle (6 to 8 ounces) of strong vinegar and also had the others do the same.

Sertürner hypothesized that, because lower doses of the drug were needed, it would be less addictive. However, he became addicted to the drug, warning that "I consider it my duty to attract attention to the terrible effects of this new substance I called morphium in order that calamity may be averted."[9]

Heinrich Emanuel Merck began the sale of morphine a few years after Sertürner's paper was published. Jean-Francois Derosne and Armand Séguin have both been claimed to have discovered morphine before Sertürner.[7]

Recognition

In 1817 Sertürner was awarded an honorary doctorate from Jena University.[2] In 1831, Sertürner received the Montyon Prize and the title ‘Benefactor of Humanity’.[2]

References
  1. Rinde, Meir (2018). "Opioids' Devastating Return". Distillations. 4 (2): 12–23. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
  2. Krishnamurti, Chandrasekhar; Rao, SSCChakra (2016). "The isolation of morphine by Serturner". Indian Journal of Anaesthesia. 60 (11): 861–862. doi:10.4103/0019-5049.193696. PMC 5125194. PMID 27942064.
  3. Meyer, Klaus (2004). "Dem Morphin auf der Spur". Pharmazeutischen Zeitung (in German). GOVI-Verlag. Retrieved 8 September 2009.
  4. Atanasov, AG; Waltenberger, B; Pferschy-Wenzig, EM; Linder, T; Wawrosch, C; Uhrin, P; Temml, V; Wang, L; Schwaiger, S; Heiss, EH; Rollinger, JM; Schuster, D; Breuss, JM; Bochkov, V; Mihovilovic, MD; Kopp, B; Bauer, R; Dirsch, VM; Stuppner, H (2015). "Discovery and resupply of pharmacologically active plant-derived natural products: A review". Biotechnol. Adv. 33 (8): 1582–614. doi:10.1016/j.biotechadv.2015.08.001. PMC 4748402. PMID 26281720.
  5. Booth, Martin (12 June 1999). Opium : a history (1st U.S. ed.). St. Martin's Press. ISBN 978-0312206673.
  6. Sertürner, F. W. (1817). "Über das Morphium, eine neue salzfähige Grundlage, und die Mekonsäure, als Hauptbestandteile des Opiums". Annalen der Physik. 25 (1): 56–90. Bibcode:1817AnP....55...56S. doi:10.1002/andp.18170550104.
  7. Huxtable Ryan J.; Schwartz Stephen K. W. (2001). "The Isolation of Morphine—First Principles in Science and Ethics". Molecular Interventions. 1 (4): 189–191. PMID 14993340.
  8. Dahan A, Aarts L, Smith TW (January 2010). "Incidence, Reversal, and Prevention of Opioid-induced Respiratory Depression". Anesthesiology. 112 (1): 226–38. doi:10.1097/ALN.0b013e3181c38c25. PMID 20010421.
  9. Offit P (March–April 2017). "God's Own Medicine". Skeptical Inquirer. 41 (2): 44.

Further reading
  • Klockgether-Radke, AP (May 2002). "F. W. Sertürner and the discovery of morphine. 200 years of pain therapy with opioids" [F. W. Sertürner and the discovery of morphine. 200 years of pain therapy with opioids]. Anästhesiologie, Intensivmedizin, Notfallmedizin, Schmerztherapie (in German). 37 (5): 244–9. doi:10.1055/s-2002-30132. ISSN 0939-2661. PMID 12015680.
  • Lassner, J (1993). "Sertürner and the discovery of morphine" [Sertürner and the discovery of morphine]. Cahiers d'Anesthésiologie (in French). 41 (5): 549–53. ISSN 0007-9685. PMID 8258096.
  • Goerig, M; Schulte Am Esch, J (December 1991). "Friedrich Wilhelm Adam Sertürner--on the 150th anniversary of the death of the discoverer of morphine" [Friedrich Wilhelm Adam Sertürner—on the 150th anniversary of the death of the discoverer of morphine]. Anästhesiologie, Intensivmedizin, Notfallmedizin, Schmerztherapie (in German). 26 (8): 492–8. doi:10.1055/s-2007-1000624. ISSN 0939-2661. PMID 1786314. S2CID 72422052.
  • Schmitz, R (1985). "Friedrich Wilhelm Sertürner and the discovery of morphine". Pharmacy in History. 27 (2): 61–74. ISSN 0031-7047. PMID 11611724.
  • Holtkamp, P (September 1984). "A great researcher known as a cheat (Friedrich Wilhelm Adam Sertürner)" [A great researcher known as a cheat (Friedrich Wilhelm Adam Sertürner)]. Quintessenz Journal (in German). 14 (9): 831–2. ISSN 0033-6599. PMID 6395179.
  • Friedrich, C; Seidlein, HJ (May 1984). "The history of pharmaceutical science. 12. The importance of the discovery of morphine in the development of pharmaceutical science" [The history of pharmaceutical science. 12. The importance of the discovery of morphine in the development of pharmaceutical science]. Die Pharmazie (in German). 39 (5): 340–5. ISSN 0031-7144. PMID 6382346.
  • Kempler, K (July 1983). "Beginnings of alkaloid research (Friedrich Wilhelm Sertürner)" [Beginnings of alkaloid research (Friedrich Wilhelm Sertürner)]. Orvosi Hetilap (in Hungarian). 124 (30): 1821–5. ISSN 0030-6002. PMID 6353312.
  • Doenicke, A (June 1983). "On the 200th birthday of Friedrich Wilhelm Adam Sertürner" [On the 200th birthday of Friedrich Wilhelm Adam Sertürner]. Der Anaesthesist (in German). 32 (6): 239–41. ISSN 0003-2417. PMID 6351662.
  • Halmai, J (May 1966). "The inventor of morphine. (F. W. Sertürner)" [The inventor of morphine. (F. W. Sertüner)]. Orvosi Hetilap (in Hungarian). 107 (19): 895–7. ISSN 0030-6002. PMID 5326676.
  • Weiser, M (October 1956). "Discovery of morphium 150 years ago" [Discovery of morphium 150 years ago]. Medizinische Monatsschrift (in German). 10 (10): 694–5. ISSN 0025-8474. PMID 13386906.
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