Cocaine

Category: alkaloid

Aliases: coke, crack, benzoylmethylecgonine

Pharmacological Mechanism

Tropane alkaloid from coca; blocks the dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin transporters (DAT/NET/SERT), raising synaptic monoamines for a short, intense euphoric stimulation. Also a local anesthetic via voltage-gated sodium-channel blockade plus vasoconstriction. Short half-life drives compulsive redosing; cardiovascular toxicity (arrhythmia, MI, stroke).

Dosing Guidelines

• IN: Typical 50 (Range: 20–100)
• IV: Typical 25 (Range: 10–40)

Target Organ Systems

• nervous
• cardiovascular

Notes

PubChem CID 446220. DAT/NET/SERT Ki + plasma t½ (~0.7–1.5 h) deferred to enrichment pass.

Chemical Identifiers

• PubChem CID: 446220
• Formula: C17H21NO4
• Molecular weight: 303.35 g/mol
• InChIKey: ZPUCINDJVBIVPJ-LJISPDSOSA-N
• SMILES: CN1[C@H]2CC[C@@H]1[C@H]([C@H](C2)OC(=O)C3=CC=CC=C3)C(=O)OC