What is cocaine?

Cocaine is a tropane alkaloid with central nervous systems (CNS) stimulating and local anesthetic activity. Cocaine, like amphetamines, acts by multiple mechanisms on brain catecholaminergic neurons; the mechanism of its reinforcing effects is thought to involve inhibition of dopamine uptake.

Cocaine is the methyl ester of benzoylecgonine and is also known as 3β-hydroxy-1αH,5α-H-tropane-2β-carboxylic acid methyl ester benzoate. In the late 1800s cocaine was used as a primary ingredient for flavor in Coca-Cola. In the early 1900s cocaine in its crude form was removed. It is still flavored with a non-narcotic extract from the coca, the plant from which cocaine is derived.

It is a naturally occurring sympathomimetic tropane alkaloid derived from the leaves of Erythroxylon coca, which has been used by South American locals for millennia. For over 4,000 years coca, or Erythroxylon coca, has been used as a medicine and stimulant in what is now Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia.

The coca plant presents large, thick, dark green leaveswith an elliptical shape and a somewhat sharp apex, and has small red fruits [23]. Circa18 different alkaloids can be found in the leaves of the coca plant, such as cinnamoylcocaine,tropacocaine, methylecgonine, benzoylecgonine (BE) and pseudotropine.

Cocaine is a weakly alkaline compound, and can therefore combine with acidic compounds to form salts. Cocaine base are white powders. When in the form of crack, cocaine base usually occurs as small (100–200 mg) lumps (‘rocks’).
What is cocaine?