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
Born	19 June 1783 Neuhaus
Died	20 February 1841(1841-02-20) (aged 57) Hamelin
Nationality	German
Known for	discovering morphine
Scientific career
Fields	Pharmacology, 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 February 20, 1841. He was buried in Einbeck.[2]

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 August 23, 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 (1999-06-12). 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: 56–90.

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]. Anasthesiologie, 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'Anesthesiologie (in French). 41 (5): 549–53. ISSN 0007-9685. PMID 8258096.
• Goerig, M; Schulte Am Esch, J (Dec 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]. Anasthesiologie, Intensivmedizin, Notfallmedizin, Schmerztherapie (in German). 26 (8): 492–8. doi:10.1055/s-2007-1000624. ISSN 0939-2661. PMID 1786314.
• 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 (Sep 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 (Jul 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 (Jun 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 (Oct 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.