stability of cocaine within the dried leaf of the plant

[pofacedhoe]

I have found that poppy pods can retain their potency for over a year (maybe longer) and have some dried truxilense coca leaf (with dessicant wrapped in newspaper) and wonder how long that will remain potent?

based upon stability for powder cocaine possibly...

has anyone got an idea as i have googled it a lot but i am not interested in the stability of cocaine when in a solution and have not turned up anything usefull yet

 

[sekio]

This is not advanced drug discussion

Coca leaf is not known for storing well.

An interesting article (Manufacture of cocaine) says that the cocaine content (in coca leaves from Yungas, Cuzco and Mapiri) is
initially 0.7%, then drops to 0.5% after 1 month;
then becomes 0.4% after 6 mo; 0.3% after 1 year;
0.15% after 2 years; and 0% after 3 years (no trace)

However, an academic article by Aynilian, Farnworth et al says that cocaine is found in old herbarium specimens. A 44-year old coca leaf still contained 0,03%, that is quite much, considering that the leaves at the beginning have
a content of 0,7% (of the dry weight).
Is it possible that herbarium specimens are preserved in a special way? (However, someone says just the contrary, that the preservation treatment immediately destroys the alkaloids)

 

[AlphaMethylPhenyl]

But the second section notes an abnormality. Wonder what was different to make it store so well. I'd imagine a relatively airtight atmosphere, darkness, and cold helped it preserve.

 

[sekio]

Yes, absence of oxygen/light, and absence of water will also help preserve it. Powder cocaine HCl is actually more stable than cocaine in leaf, I believe.

Cocaine is easily broken down in acidic/basic aqueous environments, and damaged not only by heat but by atmospheric oxidation. I would not be suprised if there was a significant decrease in potencyover a year's time - 50% or more - unless you're storing it in a nitrogen filled deep freezer alongside dessicant.