Coca Leaves

COCA LEAVES

Synonyms

Coca, Cuca, Cocaine, Folium cocae, Peruvian coca, Truxillo coca, Java coca, Bolivian coca.

Biological Source

Coca consists of the dried leaves of various species of Eryth-mxylon, that is, Erythroxylon coca Lam (Huanco or Bolivian coca) or Erythroxylon coca var. Spruceanum (Peruvian, Truxillo or Java coca) also known as Erythroxylon truxillense Rusby., belonging to family Erythroxylaceae.

Geographical Source

It is mainly found in Bolivia, Peru, Indonesia, Ceylon, Java and India.

Cultivation

Coca shrubs grow well in the situations similar to tea plantations. It requires rich, light and well-drained soil at an altitude of 1,500–6,000 m. Cultivation is carried out by sowing seeds. Fertilizers have their effects over these plants. In the second year the leaves will be matured enough to collect in dry weather. The collected leaves are dried in shade and packed.

Characteristics

Erythroxylon coca: leaves are brownish-green in colour, oval, entire and glabrous, with a bitter taste, 3–8 cm long and 1.5–4 cm wide.

Erythroxylon truxillense: the leaves are much smaller and pale green in colour, elliptical, entire, glaborous, not glossy, with bitter taste.

                               Erythroxylon coca

Microscopy

The epidermis has straight anticlinal walls and stomata present are of the rubiaceous type only on the lower surface. The mesophyll reveals the presence of single layer of palisade parenchyma cells only below the upper epidermis. Prism of calcium oxalate crystals are seen in the spongy parenchyma. The midrib has vascular bundle composed of xylem and phloem with a band of pericyclic fibres below and few sclerenchyma above. Leaf has an outstanding ridge, filled with collenchyma, presence of lignified idioblasts, and development of sclerenchyma above and below the side veins are its unique characters.

Chemical Constituents

Coca leaves contain the alkaloids Cocaine, Annamyl Cocaine, and Truxilline or Cocamine. Truxillo or Peruvian leaves contain more alkaloid than the Bolivian, though the latter are preferred for medicinal purposes. Java Coca contains tropacocaine and four yellow crystalline glucosides in addition to the other constituents.

Uses

The actions of Coca depend principally on the alkaloid Cocaine. Cocaine has stimulant action on CNS. The leaves are extensively chewed to relieve hunger and fatigue. Coca alkaloids cause also hallucination. Coca leaves are used as a cerebral and muscle stimulant, especially during convalescence, to relieve nausea, vomiting and pains of the stomach without upsetting the digestion. Cocaine also has local anesthetic action on skin and mucous membrane; and is used as dental anaesthesia and minor local surgery of ophthalmic, ear, nose and throat. Chemical structure of cocaine has lead to several synthetic annaesthetics like anaesthesia, novocain, stovain, etc.

Adulterant

Jaborandi leaves are used as an adulterant of Coca leaves.