Coca (Erythroxylum coca) (Quechua: kuka) is a flowering plant species of South American family Erythroxylacene originating in the steep Amazonian foothills of the Andes.
Has an important role in Andean culture, as analgesic in medical interventions. It is used by Andean cultures and nations chibcha, Aymara and Quechua, as an analgesic. Although better known in the world due to its alkaloids, including which is cocaine, which is a strong stimulating.
Pharmacological aspects
Cocaine is in an amount close to 0.8% in fresh leaves. Apart from this substance, the leaves of the coca alkaloids have other metilecgoninca, benzoilecgnoninca, ecgonine and nicotine.
The absorption of cocaine is much less rapid and efficient than purified forms of cocaine and does not cause the same psychoactive and euphoric effects associated with drug use. Addiction or other harmful effects of leaf consumption in its natural form, not been documented.
