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From: dsi@unccvax.UUCP (Dataspan Inc)
Newsgroups: net.rumor
Subject: Re: Re: cocaine in (very) old coke
Message-ID: <245@unccvax.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 24-Jul-85 10:26:07 EDT
Article-I.D.: unccvax.245
Posted: Wed Jul 24 10:26:07 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 27-Jul-85 03:04:31 EDT
References: <8765@microsoft.UUCP> <561@rtech.UUCP>, <136@rpics.UUCP>
Organization: UNC-Charlotte
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     Wrongo.  Cocaine is a lousy topical anesthetic. Applied to unbroken
skin, the absorption is pretty much el-zippo.  As for its use in oro-nasal
surgery, it is effective, but Lidocaine (xylocaine) is far, far, far
safer.  There were certain problems associated with a preparation popular
in the first part of the century called 'cocaine mud', whose vasoconstricion
action was so profound that ulceration and necrosis of the tissues exposed
was often achieved.

     I don't know what Coca-Cola does with the extract of all those coca
leaves, but the synthesis of cocaine has been detailed at great length in
one of the 1979 issues of Journal of the American Chemical Society. It would
seem (after reading the article) that some of the intermediates would be far]
more useful in the preparation of ethical pharmaceuticals than would reverse
engineering methyl ecognine (cocaine) to the intermediate you want.

     Then again, if you rip off one of the methyl radicals from the cocaine
molecule, you get atropine, which western societies must consume tons of
in the notorious 'cough/cold' preparations.  Atropine is also commonly
used as an adjunct to get an otherwise Schedule II narcotic declassified
to schedule III (such as certain prescription cough medicines containing
hydrocodone bitartrate, or barbiturates in such preparations as Donnatal (tm))
This might be where all that cocaine is going?

     Does anyone know whether or not cocaine hydrochloride, USP (and N.F.)
has been bumped up to Schedule I?  There wouldn't seem to be a rational basis
left for ethical use. 

David Anthony
DataSpan, Inc