Who separated alkaline from fruit opium in 1805?

Friedrich Wilhelm Serturner is credited with the separation of morphine as an alkaloid from opium in 1805. This significant achievement laid the groundwork for the isolation of various alkaloids from plant sources and advanced the understanding of medicinal compounds. Morphine, derived from opium poppy, became one of the first alkaloids to be chemically isolated and subsequently used in pain management. Serturner's work demonstrated the potential of plant-derived compounds and opened up new avenues for pharmaceutical research.

In contrast, the contributions of the other individuals mentioned primarily focus on different areas of botany or herbal medicine. William Withering, for instance, is known for his studies on the medicinal use of foxglove and the role of digitalis in treating heart conditions. John Ray was prominent in botanical classification and laid down the principles of natural history. Culpeper is recognized for his herbal writings and the popularization of herbal remedies, but his work did not involve the isolation of specific compounds like Serturner's.