Erythroxylum: The Coca Plant

Erythroxylum: Coca plant coca plant is a member of the family Geraniales and Erythroxylaceae. There are four genera and there are estimated 200 red molds (De Witt, 1967). In 1783, Coca was first described as mahogany by A. L. Jussieu. In 1786, Lamarck gave it a binomial redwood coca. Early botanists believed that all Coca plants belonged to the same species. Later researchers discovered the presence of two domesticated Coca. These are Erythroxylum co-column.

Cocaine is collected from the leaves of Erythroxylum coca grown in the Andean mountains of South America. Early in the 6th century, there was evidence that Coca played an important role in the living of indigenous peoples in South America. They increase endurance and chew leaves to keep alert at high altitude. 2 In the 19th century, Coca was imported into Europe and in 1860 German chemist Albert Nieman found a way to separate medicines from the leaves. Nine years later, a chemist named Angelo Mariani created a medicated wine with Vin Mariani wine and cocaine. This new drink is widely used in Europe

Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid obtained from the leaves of Erythroxylon coca. It is a naturally occurring chemical found in certain species of rhododendrons. There are more than 200 kinds of red peony, two of them, red oak and New Zealand blush include many cocaine. In South America, two of these two types are cultivated; these are Erythroxylum coca var. Coca (ECVC), Erythroxylum Coca var. Ipadu (EM), Erythroxylum novogranatense var. Novogranatinence (ENVN) and Erythrochum Novo Granatense var. Truxillense (ENVT) CIA lists various species, such as Huanuco Coca, grown in Bolivia and Peru, Amazon Coca grown in Amazon, and Colombian Coca, which is grown primarily in Colombia.

Cocaine (benzoylmethylglycine) is an alkaloid present in leaves of coca plants, which is scientifically known as Eerythroxylum coca native to the Andean region of South America. Coca growing areas in Colombia, Peru and Bolivia peaked in 2000, reached 221, 300 hectares, then decreased to 167,600 hectares in 2008. Another type of cocaine is the basic form called "crack" which is a cheaper form of medicine. Cracked cocaine has a lower melting temperature than powdered cocaine and can therefore be used. This form is a mixture of cocaine hydrochloride and other chemicals such as ammonia or sodium bicarbonate (used as a dopant).