Which drug is an effective painkiller for patients who have undergone…

The correct answer is Option (3) → Morphine

Morphine is an alkaloid taken from the latex of the poppy plant, Papaver somniferum. It acts on the brain and gut and is a strong sedative and painkiller, which is why doctors use it for patients after surgery.

Option (1) Cocaine — Incorrect. Cocaine comes from the coca plant. It interferes with the transport of dopamine and is a stimulant that gives a sense of euphoria and energy. It is not used as a painkiller after surgery.

Option (2) Opioids — Incorrect. Opioids is the name of a whole group of drugs that bind to opioid receptors in the brain and gut. The book’s example of the group is heroin (smack), a drug of abuse that slows down body functions. The question asks for one particular drug, and the book names morphine as the one used for surgery patients.

Option (3) Morphine — Correct. Of the four, only morphine is used as a medicine for patients after surgery; the others are named in the book as drugs of abuse or as a whole group of drugs.

Option (4) Charas — Incorrect. Charas is a cannabinoid made from the resin of the cannabis plant. Cannabinoids affect the heart and blood vessels; they are drugs of abuse, not painkillers given after surgery.

Note: A similar question was also asked in CUET (UG) 2026 on 20-05-2026 (Slot 1), and in CUET (UG) 2025 on 20-05-2025 (Slot 2), on 15-05-2025 (Slot 2) and on 15-05-2025 (Slot 1).

NCERT Extract:
Drugs and Alcohol Abuse – “Drugs like barbiturates, amphetamines, benzodiazepines, and other similar drugs, that are normally used as medicines to help patients cope with mental illnesses like depression and insomnia, are often abused. Morphine is a very effective sedative and painkiller, and is very useful in patients who have undergone surgery.”