Choose the correct statements about the drugs that are commonly abused:
A. Opioids bind to specific opioid receptors present in our central nervous system and gastrointestinal tract.
B. Cannabinoids interact with cannabinoid receptors present principally in the liver.
C. Excessive dosage of cocaine causes hallucinations.
D. Atropa belladona and Datura are well-known plants with hallucinogenic properties.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → A, C and D only
The drugs that are commonly abused are opioids, cannabinoids and coca alkaloids. Most of them come from flowering plants. Each group acts on the body in its own way, and the place where it acts is what this question checks.
Statement A: Opioids bind to specific opioid receptors present in our central nervous system and gastrointestinal tract. — True. Opioids such as heroin and morphine act by binding to their own opioid receptors, which are found in the central nervous system and in the gastrointestinal tract.
Statement B: Cannabinoids interact with cannabinoid receptors present principally in the liver. — False. Cannabinoid receptors are present principally in the brain, not in the liver. Natural cannabinoids come from the inflorescences of Cannabis sativa and are known for their effects on the cardiovascular system.
Statement C: Excessive dosage of cocaine causes hallucinations. — True. Cocaine, obtained from the coca plant Erythroxylum coca, is a strong stimulant of the central nervous system. In excessive dosage it causes hallucinations.
Statement D: Atropa belladona and Datura are well-known plants with hallucinogenic properties. — True. Besides the coca plant, Atropa belladona and Datura are the other hallucinogenic plants named in the book.
NCERT Extract:
Drugs and Alcohol Abuse – “… Opioids are the drugs, which bind to specific opioid receptors present in our central nervous system and gastrointestinal tract.”
Drugs and Alcohol Abuse – “… Cannabinoids are a group of chemicals (Figure 7.9), which interact with cannabinoid receptors present principally in the brain.”
Drugs and Alcohol Abuse – “… It has a potent stimulating action on central nervous system, producing a sense of euphoria and increased energy. Excessive dosage of cocaine causes hallucinations. Other well-known plants with hallucinogenic properties are Atropa belladona and Datura (Figure 7.11).”

Figure 7.9 Skeletal structure of cannabinoid molecule

Figure 7.11 Flowering branch of Datura