Attributes of Cocaine

Cocaine is a natural alkaloid extracted from the leaves of the Andean shrub Erythroxylon coca (Agarwal and Sen, 2004). It is used as an ophthalmic and spinal anesthetic. It is the primary nonalcoholic drug of abuse. Its recent popularity since the 1980s has been due to the smoked form known as crack or rock. Cocaine is sold on the streets as a water-soluble hydrochloride (HCl) salt for snorting or intravenous injection. It can be injected subcutaneously or intramuscularly, but this slows absorption and does not give a rush. It can also be smoked as a free base, and is rapidly absorbed in this form through the lungs with swift penetration to the brain.

Cocaine blocks the initiation or conduction of the action potential following local application to a nerve and stimulates the central nervous sys

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Category: Medical - A