COCA

 Chapter: Entheogens

AKA: Erythroxylum coca.

The psychoactive ingredient of the coca leaf is cocaine, only one of over a dozen compounds in the coca leaf which have a similar effect. There are several different varieties of coca, none of which is related to cocoa.

Effects: It has been used for centuries as a gentle stimulant by indigenous peoples of South America, who use it to treat altitude sickness and brew it into a tea called mate de coca. Coca usually contains less than 0.5 percent active cocaine - because of this, and because it enters the body through the mouth and stomach, rather than through the more direct routes of the lungs and bloodstream common to cocaine users, it is rarely addictive. It contains many vitamins, including thiamine, riboflavin, and vitamin C, along with many compounds that modify the cocaine, rendering it safer to the user; all this is lost when it is refined into cocaine. It helps the body dispose of toxic metabolites, including uric acid. It appears to keep the teeth and gums healthy, have a positive effect on respiration, and alleviate somewhat symptoms of altitude sickness. According to its users, it increases the life span. It has not yet been determined whether it improves any mental functions, though its stimulant effect gives one the feeling of being smarter and mentally sharper.

Dosage: The average Indian consumes about two ounces of dried leaves a day, or about 0.7 grains of cocaine.