Do Coca Leaves Numb the Mouth? Understanding the Anesthetic Effect
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4 min read
Dried coca leaves contain approximately 0.6% cocaine, the principal alkaloid responsible for their well-known numbing effect [1.3.1]. For centuries, Andean cultures have chewed coca leaves, and a primary question for many is: **do coca leaves numb the mouth?** The answer lies in their complex pharmacology.
