A naturally occurring opium alkaloid that is a centrally acting antitussive agent.

A phthalide isoquinoline non-narcotic alkaloid derived from the opium poppy Papaver somniferum, with mild analgesic, antitussive, and potential antineoplastic activities. Noscapine exerts its antitussive effects through the activation of sigma opioid receptors. This agent appears to exert its antimitotic effect by binding to tubulin, resulting in a disruption of microtubule assembly dynamics and subsequently, the inhibition of mitosis and tumor cell death.