Does the cocaine and other coca alkaloids from the coca plant serve to protect itself from predators such as insects?

Blueorange25ByBlueorange25

In the case of caffeine, it is an insecticide, just like nicotine, which also protects plants from insects.

And both substances are so-called psychostimulants.

Are coca alkaloids also insect poisons?

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Fuchssprung
Fuchssprung
5 months ago

Yes, Coca alkaloids also have a function as defenses against insects. Similar to caffeine and nicotine, which also function as repellents of plants against insects, coca alkaloids have a toxic effect on certain insects.

Cocaine is a neurotoxin that also affects the nervous system of insects in very small amounts. Similar to humans, the insects get out of their shoes.

The plants produce these alkaloids not only as a defense shield against insects, but also against fungal attack or bacteria.

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Udavu
Udavu
5 months ago

Alkaloids of Cocastrauch have a defensive function against fress enemies.

Cocaine and other coca alkaloids that occur in cocast smoke (erythroxylum coca) are used as protective mechanisms against fress skins, including insects.

  1. Toxic properties: Cocaine and other alkaloids have toxic and deterrent effects on many herbivoric insects and animals. These substances can reduce the intake of food and thus protect the plants from eating.
  2. Evolutionary adaptation: Plants produce chemical compounds such as alkaloids as part of their evolutionary adaptation to defend themselves against fress enemies. This is an example of the chemical defense of plants.
  3. Secondary plant materials: These alkaloids are among the secondary plant substances that are not directly linked to the growth or reproduction of the plant, but play an important role in survival and adaptation to their environment.

Systematicity of plants compact

The herbal N metabolism

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