Alkaloid content of the seeds from Erythroxylum Coca var. Coca
Casale, J.F.; Toske, S.G.; Colley, V.L.
Journal of Forensic Sciences 50(6): 1402-1406
2005
ISSN/ISBN: 0022-1198 PMID: 16382835 Document Number: 586762
Alkaloid extracts from seeds of E. coca var. coca grown in the Chapare Valley of Bolivia were subjected to gas and liquid chromatographic-mass spectrometric analyses. Several alkaloids from these seeds were detected and characterized, including methylecgonidine, tropine, 3 alpha -acetoxytropane, ecgonine methyl ester, cuscohygrine, N-norbenzoyltropine, benzoyltropine, hexanoylecgonine methyl ester, cocaine, cis-cinnamoylcocaine, and trans-cinnamoylcocaine. Methylecgonidine was determined to be the primary constituent and not an analytical artifact. Additionally, two significant new uncharacterized alkaloids were established as present. Recent evidence suggests that some cocaine processors are adding this seed extraction material to cocaine extracted from coca leaf and may impact cocaine impurity signature profiles.