The authors begin chapter seven with a historical discussion of the coca plant.

Stimulants

The authors begin chapter seven with a historical discussion of the coca plant. This section includes discussion of the action of cocaine on dopaminergic systems in the brain as well as its usefulness as local anesthetic. In addition, several important and timely topics such as the combination of cocaine and alcohol to produce coca ethylene and the issue of crack babies are included. The chapter goes on to consider the history, mechanisms of action and pharmacology of amphetamines. Also, this section considers the use of amphetamines in weight control, Attention Deficient Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and athletics.

Cocaine was used as a local anesthetic in the late 1800’s and throughout the history of medicine various drugs and technologies have been developed, and these developments have tremendously contributed to a range of treatments that are now taken for granted. It is only when we take time to study the development of these important drugs and technologies that we really realize how much effort and dedication went into developing them. Cocaine is an example of a drug that had many contributors aiding its use in medicine. We’ll discuss the factors and people that have contributed to the successful use of cocaine in anesthesia. Cocaine is an ancestor of modern day anesthetics; although some perceive it as a drug associated with the dark and damaged segment of society it also has its roots in medicinal applications as well.

Cocaine is obtained from coca leaves. Coca is any of the four cultivated pants in the family “Erythroxylaceae”, native to western South America. The plant is grown as a cash crop in Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. There are reports also that the plant is being cultivated in the south of Mexico as a cash crop and as an alternative to smuggling its recreational product cocaine. Although it was not isolated from coca leaves until the 19th century, its effects had made an impression in some parts of the world long before. The Incas knew the effects of chewing the coca leaves many hundreds of years ago. In 1551, Peruvian bishops tried to persuade the government to prohibit coca use because chewing these leaves conflicted with their religious beliefs. Although the use of coca was not prohibited, the amount of land used for coca cultivation later in the decade was restricted: thus, the efforts of these bishops were not entirely in vain. It is interesting to note that similar to the history of chewing marijuana and tobacco, the history of chewing coca shows how a natural substance can be developed into a substance that is harmful and detrimental to both the individual and society. It was not until 1860 that Albert Niemann isolated cocaine from coca leaves. It has been reported that he noticed that when he placed the crystals on his tongue, it made his tongue feel numb!

Cocaine can be used as a topical anesthesia and has been used in dentistry as well. Its many medical uses made it extremely popular.

Yet, I believe its most famous entry into society and the American public was through the Coca Cola Company. Coca Cola used coca leaf extract in its products from 1885-1903. With such ads telling people how refreshing, uplifting and beneficial it is to their general wellbeing and mental alertness, it quickly became a sure fire hit at 5 cents a bottle!

Sorry, my images did not transfer over. But go ahead and look on Google, as they are fun to see.

There are many old Coca Cola ads on Google images, I picked these two from the 1800’s to show how coke was sold as a pick me up beverage. In one ad it stated it was for people who worked with their brains and students. Hummm. If you have a few minutes, go check out these ads at Google images, type in old Coca Cola ads.

Since 1886, the Coca-Cola original recipe has been the world\’s best kept secret. That was until \”This American Life,\” a weekly public radio show that broadcasts to more than 500 radio stations and 2.2 million listeners, revealed that the recipe had been hiding in an Atlanta-Journal Constitution Article in the 1970s. The Recipe: fluid extract of coca, citric acid, caffeine, sugar, water, lime juice, vanilla, caramel, alcohol, orange oil, lemon oil, nutmeg oil, coriander oil, neroli oil, and cinnamon oil. The National Institute on Drug Abuse explains that thousands of years ago the Incas chewed the leaves, which is the source of cocaine, for their stimulant effects. It is important to note that Pemberton was a morphine addict and was trying to recreate something called \”Vin Marian,\” which is a combination of coca and wine. He called his creation \”Pemberton\’s French Wine Coca.\” This was all before Pemberton created an alcohol-free version called, \”Coca-Cola\” in 1886. This was just before Atlanta imposed an alcohol prohibition. Talk about good timing. So, yes, the original Coca-Cola recipe did contain a form of cocaine.

It was in the early 1900s that the United States began talking about prohibiting cocaine. In 1903, a group called Schaeffer Alkaloidal Works removed the cocaine from the coca used in the drink. They chemically make the coca leaves cocaine-free for the Coca-Cola recipe. It wasn’t until 1929 that they perfected the extraction of the cocaine from the leaves.

It’s of no surprise that cocaine is highly addictive, and that is due to its effect on the reward pathway in the brain. After a short period of use, there is a high risk that dependence will occur. Its use also increases the risk of stroke, myocardial infarction, lung problems in those who smoke it, blood infections and sudden cardiac death. Cocaine that is sold on the streets is commonly mixed with local anesthetics, cornstarch, quinine, or sugar, which can result in additional toxicity. Following repeated doses a person may have decreased ability to feel pleasure and be very physically tired. Which is quite a contradiction from the way it affects people in the beginning of use, you know “refreshed and up –lifted” as Coca Cola Company purported! It will indeed switch up on you and cause depression overall and lack of willingness to meet life goals. Cocaine acts by inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. This results in greater concentrations of these three neurotransmitters in the brain.

————————

Requirements: two paragraphs