Morphine and New Directions

Abstract Morphinan alkaloids such as morphine and codeine produced by plants are highly physiologically active and are used as raw materials for pharmaceutical drugs, such as analgesics. However, the production of such medicines with raw materials extracted from plants is relatively expensive, and thus, inexpensive production methods need to be developed. In recent years, comprehensive genetic analyses of plants in the poppy family have revealed details of the metabolic pathway of morphine. Opioid production by microorganisms using synthetic biological methods has attracted attention, and based on these findings, plant alkaloid production has been attempted through microbial fermentation. This article outlines the findings on the biosynthesis of morphinan alkaloids, the current state, problems, and future prospects of microbial opioid production.