Alkaloid use of Ephedra and opium poppies. Also, coca leaves have been used by South American Indians since ancient times. Extracts from plants containing toxic alkaloids, such as aconitine and tubocurarine, were used since antiquity for poisoning arrows. Studies of alkaloids began in the 19th century. In 1804, the German chemist Friedrich Sertürner isolated from opium a "soporific principle" (), which he called "morphium" in honor of Morpheus, the Greek god of dreams; in German and some other Central-European languages, this is still the name of the drug. The term "morphine", used in English and French, was given by the French
Greek Cypriot name are found elsewhere, but are unusual, except in Cyprus where they are more highly concentrated. Examples include: "Βαρνάβας" (Barnabus), "Βερεγγάρια" (Berengaria), "Δωμέτιος" (Dometios), "Μάμας" (Mamas), "Μάριος" (Marios), "Νεόφυτος" (Neophytos). Greek Cypriot name Greek Cypriots may bear common Greek surnames, but there are some which are markedly Cypriot; there are some names which indicate place of birth or origin, or occupation, for example: "Παφίτης" (Paphitis), "from Paphos"; "Καϊμακλιώτης" (Kaimakliotis), "from Kaimakli"; "Σκαρπάρης" (Skarparis), "shoemaker"; "Κωμοδρόμος" (Komodromos), "smith". As most Cypriots used patronymics until independence when surnames became officially used in public registers, a similar process of creation of surnames took place