Cocaine Compound: Protection for the Plants and Effects on Humans

Cocaine Compound
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Cocaine Compound
Multiple addictive elements used by humans are derived from different plants across the globe. For instance, cocaine is extracted from the coca plant. During the 1840s, cocaine was initially extracted from the coca plant and used in different forms such as powders and drinks. Cocaine is extracted from the coca plant’s leaves, which are among the fourteen alkaloids that happen naturally in the plant. Only two types of coca leaves out of over 200 species contain adequate cocaine alkaloids for production (Miller, 2022). Alkaloids are naturally occurring compounds produced by plants that contain chemicals that cause side effects of drug abuse. The side effects of cocaine after extraction and production from the coca plant include high body temperatures, loss of appetite, pupil dilation, and high energy. The alkaloid produced by the plant is supposed to offer protection against insects and not substance abuse by people.
The coca plant produces neurotoxins known as alkaloids to protect itself from bugs. The toxin alters the chemical balance in a bug’s brain to put it in an exhausted state to repel them or even kill them if the concentration is high. Like humans, ingesting a significant amount of the compound leads to overdose. The small amount ingested by humans contributes to the typical side effects such as reduced appetite and high energy, to mention a few. Cocaine also helps regulate the growth of the coca plant by providing nitrogen to the plant. Alkaloids are the final products of a plant’s metabolism. Also, cocaine helps in enhancing populations in multiple ways. The compound is contained in the formation of nectars that cause flower swindling by pollinators, thus increasing the quality and quantity of pollination. It also increases the levels of the dietary supplement consumed naturall...