Coca

2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29

Coca / Coca / is a shrub of the family Erythroxylaceae, reaching a height of 2 to 3 m. The branches of the plant are straight and the leaves are thin, dense, elliptical. The flowers are small and the corolla consists of five yellowish-white petals. The anthers are heart-shaped.

The plant is distributed in the United States / California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida /, Europe / Spain, Italy and Greece / and in Australia / New Zealand /.

Types of coca

There are two types of coca in the world. These are Erythroxylum coca and Erythroxylum novograna-tense.

Kokata / Erythroxylum coca / is a shrub native to the Amazon, inhabiting warm and humid valleys between 1000 and 2000 meters above sea level. The leaves of plants grown in Colombia tend to be smaller and sharper than those grown elsewhere. This plant is fundamental to the Indian cultures of the Andes and the Amazon. Cocaine is produced from this type of coca.

Erythroxylum novogranatense is a species of coca in the family Erythroxylaceae. It is grown in the flat, arid regions of South America and needs irrigation. However, E. novogranatense is very adaptable to different environmental conditions, grows well in both dry and wet areas, from 400 to 800 m above sea level.

Coca composition

Kokata contains 14 natural alkaloids, which determine the healing properties of the plant. Egnonin, which is part of coca, is a carboxylic derivative of atropine and has the ability to metabolize fats, glycides, purifying the blood. Atropine has an anesthetic effect, it cleanses the airways.

Pectin has an absorbent and antidiarrheal effect, together with vitamin E regulates the production of melanin for the skin. Papain, which is found in coca, is an enzyme similar to animal cathepsin. It improves digestion.

The hygrin in the drug excites the salivary glands when there is a lack of oxygen in the air. Globulin tones the heart muscle, regulates the lack of oxygen, improves blood circulation, prevents the disease called Soroche, caused by heights / diluted air /.

Pyridine, which contains the herb accelerates the formation and functioning of the brain, increases blood flow to the pituitary gland and tonsils. Quinoline prevents the formation of dental caries. Coca also contains horseradish, which has a strong anesthetic effect.

The cocaine in the herb has an analgesic effect and together with the horse helps to enhance the effect of cocaine. Reserpine regulates blood pressure and promotes the formation of bone cells. The drug also contains benzoin, which accelerates the formation of muscle cells and prevents the decay of nutrients, whence its therapeutic properties in gastritis and ulcers.

The inulin in the plant regulates the secretion of bile, refreshes and improves the functioning of the liver, balances the formation of melanin, avoiding and cleansing spots on the face. It is a diuretic, helps to eliminate harmful and toxic substances in the body.

History of coca

The plant coca usually comes from the highlands of the Andes. Ever since it has been known in human history, its leaves have been chewed because of their stimulating effect and the relief of respiratory problems due to life at such great heights.

According to a quote from the first Spanish chronicles, the Indians valued the plant more than gold and silver, because one feels neither hunger nor thirst when chewing coca leaves.

The Incas used the leaves only for religious purposes. After the Spaniards conquered South America, their use spread even more.

Growing coca

The plant prefers areas where there is no frost. The fruits of the plant are harvested before they are ripe and left for some time until completely soft. Then the softened flesh of the fruit is gone, and the seeds are cleaned and dried.

The collected seeds are dropped into water and those that float to the surface are discarded as they will not germinate. Suitable seeds should be sown as soon as possible. It is best to place each seed in a separate container.

Plastic pots would do a good job. Young seedlings need light, whether solar or artificial. You need to fertilize the plant. After about two months you can transplant the young plants, leaving a distance of about 1.5 m between them.

In general, coca needs high humidity. However, coca is a very hardy plant and can grow in not very high humidity. But that's not all. Coca can certainly withstand low temperatures, provided they do not fall below freezing.

Benefits of coca

Tea from coca is widely used because of its good effect on digestion, blood circulation, against fatigue, irritation, stress with a slight but remarkable mood-boosting effect. It can be taken at any time of the day, preferably after meals. It is also recommended for indigestion, colic and diarrhea.

The content of vitamins and other elements make coca tea a food supplement that can be used in the daily diet.

The hot coca drink can be taken by children, adolescents, the elderly and the elderly. The extremely low rate of cardiovascular disease in Indians chewing coca leaves is remarkable.

Also impressive is the low rate of dental caries in them. The risk of addiction to the use of coca tea is negligible, provided that more than 500 sachets are needed (1 sachet contains 1 g of coca leaves) to obtain 1 g of cocaine, from which minimal amounts are absorbed in nanograms (1 nanogram is one millionth of a gram) over a long period, which does not allow to reach a concentration that would cause mental disorders.

Coca tea

Tea from coca is an herbal tea made from the raw leaves of the coca plant, which grows in northwestern South America. It is prepared by dipping coca leaves or dipping a tea bag in hot water.

Coca tea is most commonly consumed in the Andes, especially Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru. It has a yellow-green color and a slightly bitter taste, similar to green tea with more organic sweetness.

The leaves of the plant contain alkaloids from which a substance is chemically extracted to make cocaine. However, the amount of this alkaloid in the raw leaves is small.

A cup of tea from cocaprepared from one gram of leaves of the plant contains approximately 4.2 mg of biological alkaloid. Due to the presence of these alkaloids, coca tea can be called a mild stimulant, and its consumption can be compared with the consumption of coffee or tea.

However, the alkaloid content of a cup of tea is sufficient to show a positive blood test for cocaine. Like decaffeinated coffee, coca tea can also be "decaffeinated". After processing, the presence of alkaloids is minimized, as in the case of decaffeinated coffee, in which a small amount of caffeine remains.

Coca tea is legal in Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador. However, its use continues to be hampered by the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. Coca tea is illegal in the United States unless it is "cocaine-free."

Many Andean natives use tea for medicinal purposes. Coca tea is often recommended to tourists in the high parts of the Andes to prevent altitude sickness. However, its actual effectiveness has never been fully studied. Coca tea has been used as a means of rehabilitating cocaine addicts and has been used as an acceptable substitute.

Recipe for coca tea

Heat water without boiling. Put a teaspoon of dried coca leaves. Let the leaves soak for 10 minutes if you want light tea or 20 minutes if you prefer darker. Fill one tea cup halfway with the brewed tea and dilute it with water if you find it strong. Season the tea with a slice of lemon and a little honey.

Harm from coca

Excessive long-term consumption of coca leaves can lead to addiction. There is a claim that the use of coca can cause premature aging, but it has not been proven yet. In comparison, continuous and / or excessive use of pure cocaine causes very serious side effects.

Cocaine is a stimulant with great potential for dependence, extracted from the leaves of the Erythroxylon coca bush for the first time in the mid-19th century by the chemist Gedke and is called erythroxylin. Cocaine addiction is easy and lasting, and of all the known drugs, it causes the strongest desire to repeat the dose. Almost all over the world, possession, cultivation and distribution are illegal for non-medical purposes and not specifically authorized by governments.

Cocaine use can lead to dilation of the pupils, faster heart rate, increased blood pressure, body temperature, decreased appetite. There is a risk of hypertensive crisis, cerebral hemorrhage, epileptic seizures, acute renal failure and others.