Alkaloid Content and Stimulant Properties
The leaves of the coca plant contain alkaloids which--when extracted chemically--are the source for cocaine base. However, the amount of coca alkaloid in the raw leaves is small. A cup of coca tea prepared from one gram of coca leaves (the typical contents of a tea bag) contains approximately 4.2 mg of organic coca alkaloid. (In comparison, a line of cocaine contains between 20 and 30 milligrams.) Owing to the presence of these alkaloids, coca tea is a mild stimulant; its consumption may be compared to consumption of coffee or tea. The coca alkaloid content of coca tea is such that the consumption of one cup of coca tea can cause a positive result on a drug test for cocaine, however.
Similar to decaffeination in coffee, coca tea can be decocainized. Just like decaffeinated coffee does retain a minute quantity of caffeine, decocainized coca tea will still contain a minute quantity of organic coca alkaloids.
Read more about this topic: Coca Tea
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