BT-034 · Erythroxylaceae

Coca

Erythroxylum coca

Evidence: TraditionalCautionIllegal in Türkiye

Bolivia left the UN convention in 2011 in protest at the ban on leaf chewing and rejoined in 2013 with a reservation protecting that right.

Other names: Kuka (Quechua), hayo
Part used: Leaves
Region: Andes
Amazon
Use: Ritual and shamanic, Healing, Food

Photo: Danna Guevara · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

In short

What is Coca?

Coca (Erythroxylum coca) is a plant of the Erythroxylaceae family. Traditions that use it: Andes, Amazon. Part used: leaves.

What is Coca used for?

Traditional use: In Andean villages the leaf is held in the cheek and chewed (chacchar, akulliku) against altitude sickness (soroche), hunger and fatigue. Scientific evidence: traditional. The leaves contain about 0.5–1% cocaine; chewing and tea absorb it slowly and at a very low dose.

Is Coca safe?

Safety label: caution. The tea and leaf are mild stimulants; people with heart disease should be careful. Urine tests can come back positive for cocaine. Legal status: Illegal in Türkiye.

Traditional use

Andes

In Andean villages the leaf is held in the cheek and chewed (chacchar, akulliku) against altitude sickness (soroche), hunger and fatigue. It is at the heart of offerings to Pachamama, and the fall of the leaves is read for divination.

Peru today

Mate de coca (coca tea) is served freely in hotels and cafés; it is the first drink offered to travellers arriving in Cusco.

In nature

Where it grows: Eastern Andean slopes between 500 and 2,000 m (the yungas) in Peru and Bolivia.
Harvest season: Leaves are harvested three or four times a year.
Local names: No Turkish folk name. Local names: coca, kuka, hayo

Mix-up risk

The leaf is not cocaine, but carries the same substance at a low level. Commercial coca teas vary in content.

Preparation

Leaves are chewed with a little plant ash (llipta) or brewed as tea.

What science says

The leaves contain about 0.5–1% cocaine; chewing and tea absorb it slowly and at a very low dose. Its effect on altitude sickness is strongly accepted in tradition but controlled studies are few.

Safety

Caution

The tea and leaf are mild stimulants; people with heart disease should be careful. Urine tests can come back positive for cocaine.

Drug interactions

Medicine or substance	Why it matters
Stimulants and caffeine	Stimulant effects add up; risk of palpitations.
MAO inhibitors	Risk of raised blood pressure.
Blood pressure and heart rhythm medicines	The mild stimulant effect may work against the drug.

This list is not complete. If you take regular medication, ask your pharmacist or doctor before trying Coca.

Legal status

Illegal in Türkiye

Coca leaf counts as a narcotic. Leaves or coca tea cannot be brought into Türkiye.

Laws differ by country; check local rules before travelling with or buying any plant product.

Culture bridge

Leaf and stem against fatigue. Asia’s ephedra and the Andes’ coca were used against fatigue and altitude for their stimulant alkaloids; modern drugs came from both. Read the comparison →