ERYTHROXYLACEAE

The Erythroxylaceae or coca family consists of about 200+ species of tropical shrubs or trees. They exhibit light green oval leaves, small white flowers, and fruits in the form of red berries. The most representative species is the coca plant (Erythroxylum coca), which yields cocaine, an infamous drug of abuse. Coca has a long history of use in South America as a performance enhancing herb. It was once the active ingredient of the world famous beverage Coca-Cola! *Cola is a plant containing caffeine.

Cocaine is a tropane alkaloid that inhibits the brain from breaking down excitatory neurotransmitters. This produces intense pleasurable sensations, which usually last for about 30 minutes. In overdose, cocaine speeds the heart to dangerous pace and overheats the body with fatal consequences. Cocaine is also highly addictive, making it one of the most harmful drugs of abuse. There is currently no therapy to reverse cocaine addiction. Ironically, cocaine's discovery has led to the development of highly potent anaesthetic drugs like lidocaine. This changed the history of anaesthesia for good. The 'cocaine'-type anaesthetics work by inhibiting ion flow of sensory nerves, producing total loss of sensation (pain numbness). They are some of the most valuable drugs of modern medicine.

Erythroxylaceae elaborates many other cocaine-type tropane alkaloids. However, most of them lack the crucial structural features that make cocaine active. Little is known about their biological activity and that warrants further research.

The wild cocaine tree (Erythroxylum cuneatum) is native to Southeast Asia. It is not known to produce cocaine, instead contains nicotine and various cocaine-type tropane alkaloids. The leaves are used as fish poison by locals of Philippine. 

Erythroxylum cuneatum, foliage.