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यो वनस्पति ६-७ फिट अग्लो, पात गोलो हुन्छ । यसको चर्को गर्मी चिस्यानमा खेती फस्टाउने हुन्छ । भिन्नभिन्न स्थानमा पाइने फरकफरक हुने रासायनिकतत्त्व कोकिन उपक्षार स्नायुमण्डललाई उत्तेजना दिन्छ, कामोद्दोपक, थकाननाशक, संकोचक, वेदनानाशक, समस्त वात - व्याधिमा लाभदायक र सुन्निएको ठीक पार्ने मानिन्छ । यसको पातले अफिमको समान गुणधर्म तत्काल देखाउँछ । कोकिन जिन्दगीमा १-२ पटक र मर्ने महारोगमा ५-७ दिनभन्दा खानु हुँदैन । यसको पात पिसेर लेप लगाउने र तेलमा पकाएर मालिस गर्दा धेरै रोग बाह्य उपचारबाट नै हराउँछ । यसको चोप आधा - एक रत्ती १-२ पटक खाने । दुखेको थाहा नपाउने यो के ?

परिचय

कोकिन (Erythroxylum coca) एक औषधीय र मनोवैज्ञानिक प्रभाव भएको वनस्पति हो। यो दक्षिण अमेरिकाको मूल वनस्पति हो, तर नेपालको केही भेगमा पनि यसको खेती गरिन्छ। यसको पातबाट कोकिन नामक उत्तेजक पदार्थ निकालिन्छ, जुन नशाको रूपमा प्रयोग गरिन्छ। तर, यसको सिमित मात्रामा औषधीय प्रयोग धेरै रोगहरूको उपचारमा गरिन्छ।

नेपाल र अन्य देशहरूमा उपलब्धता

कोकिन मुख्यतः दक्षिण अमेरिकी देशहरू जस्तै पेरु, बोलिभिया, कोलम्बिया, इक्वेडरमा धेरै मात्रामा पाइन्छ। नेपालमा यसको खेती अधिकृत रूपमा प्रतिबन्धित छ, तर केही हिमाली क्षेत्रहरूमा सानो मात्रामा पाइन्छ। यसको अवैध खेती र व्यापार कानूनी रूपमा दण्डनीय छ।

भौतिक गुणहरू

कोकिनको बोट ६-७ फिट अग्लो हुन्छ।
यसको पात गोलो, चिल्लो र हरियो रंगको हुन्छ।
यो वनस्पति चिसो र गर्मी दुबै मौसममा फस्टाउँछ।
विभिन्न भौगोलिक क्षेत्रमा यसको रासायनिक संरचना फरक हुन सक्छ।

औषधीय गुणहरू

कोकिनमा निम्न औषधीय गुणहरू पाइन्छन्:

स्नायु उत्तेजक: यसले स्नायुमण्डललाई उत्तेजित गर्छ।
थकान नाशक: शारीरिक र मानसिक थकान हटाउँछ।
वेदना नाशक: दुखाइलाई कम गर्छ।
कामोद्दीपक: यौन इच्छा बढाउँछ।
संकोचक: घाउको रक्तस्राव रोक्छ।
वात व्याधिनाशक: जोड्ने दुखाइ, सुनिने र गठिया जस्ता रोगहरूमा फाइदा गर्छ।

फाइदा

सानो मात्रामा प्रयोग गर्दा मानिसलाई ऊर्जावान बनाउँछ।
पुरानो दुखाइ, सुनिने र अनिद्रा जस्ता समस्याहरूमा राम्रो असर गर्छ।
घाउ, चोट र सुनिने ठाउँमा लेप गर्दा फाइदा हुन्छ।

प्रयोग विधि

पातको चोप: आधा-एक रत्ती (५०-१०० मिलिग्राम) मात्रामा दिनमा १-२ पटक सेवन गर्न सकिन्छ।
लेप: पात पिसेर घाउ वा दुख्ने ठाउँमा लगाउन सकिन्छ।
तेलमा पकाएर मालिस: यसले मांसपेशी दुखाइ र सुनिने ठाउँमा राम्रो असर गर्छ।

खेती, उत्पादन र संरक्षण

कोकिनको बोट गर्म र अर्ध-चिसो मौसममा राम्रो फस्टाउँछ।
यसको पात पाकेपछि तोड्नुपर्छ र छायामा सुकाउनुपर्छ।
सुकेको पातलाई एयरटाइट कन्टेनरमा राख्नुपर्छ ताकि यसको गुण नष्ट नहोस्।

निष्कर्ष

कोकिन एक औषधीय गुण भएको वनस्पति हो, तर यसको अति प्रयोग नशा र स्वास्थ्यमा नकारात्मक असर गर्न सक्छ। यसको सिमित मात्रामा औषधीय प्रयोग धेरै रोगहरूको उपचारमा गर्न सकिन्छ। तर, यसको अवैध खेती र व्यापारबाट टाढा रहनुपर्छ। सरकारी नियमन अनुसार यसको प्रयोग गर्नुपर्छ र नशाको रूपमा प्रयोग नगर्ने सावधानी अपनाउनुपर्छ।

Introduction

Kokin (कोकिन) refers to the Erythroxylum coca shrub, commonly known as the coca plant. Although infamous for being the source of cocaine, this plant has a long history—hundreds of generations—of traditional use in Andean cultures. Indigenous people chew its leaves or brew them into tea as a mild stimulant, aid in digestion, and relieve altitude sickness

2. Availability in Nepal and Abroad

In Nepal

Kokin isn’t native to Nepal, and there are no well-documented occurrences of cultivating coca plants there. Nepal’s climate—cool tropical in the plains and alpine in mountains—is far from the hot, humid Andean valleys where the plant flourishes.

Global Availability

Native Range (Andes): Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador—major Andean regions where cultivation is part of daily life
Introduced Regions: Java, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, India, parts of Africa, USA greenhouses—but mostly in experimental or botanical-collection settings
Legal Context: In Andean countries, traditional use is legal and culturally protected; elsewhere, leaves are controlled as a cocaine source

3. Physical Properties

Form & Size: Evergreen shrub reaching 6–10 ft (2–3 m) tall Grows in hot, humid conditions—forest clearings or slopes
Leaves: Oval, leathery, with a curved central vein and an "areolated" pattern Leaves are glossy green and opaque
Flowers: Small, yellowish‑white clusters; 5-petaled corolla, heart-shaped anthers
Fruit: Red, cherry-like berries 3 months after flowering
Roots & Bark: Fibrous shallow roots; smooth brown bark

4. Medicinal Properties

Active Components

Contains tropane-ester alkaloids—most importantly cocaine (~0.2–1.0%), with minor ones like cinnamyl cocaine, ecgonine, cuscohygrine

Traditional Benefits

Stimulant & Energy: Boosts alertness, reduces hunger, helps overcome fatigue
Altitude Sickness Relief: Common remedy for soroche—reduces headache and nausea .
Digestive Aid: Helps digestion, relieves colic, gastritis .
Analgesic & Anti‑inflammatory: Offers mild pain relief; topical usage for wounds, rheumatism
Nutritive Value: Rich in vitamins (B1, B2, C, E) and minerals (calcium, iron, potassium), protein, fiber
Diuretic/Detox: Promotes lymphatic drainage, supports liver/kidney function

5. Advantages

Natural & Gentle: Mild stimulant effects, far less potent than pure cocaine
Holistic Health: Combines stimulant, nutritive, digestive, and analgesic properties.
Cultural Richness: Deeply woven into Andean rituals, social life, and spirituality
Multi‑use: From chewing to teas, poultices, and flours, it’s versatile .

6. Traditional Uses

Chewing Leaves ("Chacchado"): Combined with alkaline ash; leaves are masticated and juice absorbed slowly from the buccal pouch
Coca Tea ("Mate de coca"): Steeping dried leaves to treat altitude sickness, fatigue, digestive upset
Poultices & Topical Applications: Crushed leaves used on wounds, arthritis, toothache .
Coca Flour: Ground into flour for supplements in breads, juices; nutritive and remedy for digestive/arthritic ills
Extracts & Tonics: Historically used in medicinal wines, syrups, elixirs before isolates like cocaine became widespread

7. Usage Methods & Dosage

Leaf Chewing: A wad (quid) of leaves mixed with alkaline ash; effects set in gently over ~15 min
Tea: 3–8 teabags per infusion; drink for headache, altitude sickness, digestion .
Poultice: Crushed leaves applied topically for pain relief and wound healing .
Oral Dose of Powder (in Nepali tradition): As described, half to 1 ratti (approx. 0.6–1.2 g), 1–2 times per day.

Safety note: Traditional uses are safe when practiced in the Andean context; however, high systemic dose or refined cocaine carries major health risks .

8. Harvesting & Preservation

Cultivation

Climate: Prefers 500–3,000 m altitude, hot & humid with rainfall, forest clearings or hillside slopes
Soil: Well‑drained, slightly acidic (pH ~5–7), rich in humus; mixes with cocopeat or vermiculite for potted growth
Propagation: From seeds (needs cross-pollination) or cuttings (especially Amazonian variety) .

Plant Care

Light: Partial shade—forest clearing conditions
Water & Humidity: Keep soil moist—not soggy; use rainwater if potted; humidity high around leaves .
Temperature: Ideal 20–30 °C; seedlings need warmth always; adult plants tolerate 10 °C short dips
Pruning & Fertilizer: Prune for bushiness; feed with balanced fertilizer every 4–6 weeks

Harvesting

Leaves: Harvest mature green leaves that snap when bent; picked several times a year (up to 6 in Peru; 3–4 in Bolivia) .
Flowers & Berries: Blooms at ~18 months; wait ~3 months for red berries, then harvest seeds .

Preservation

Leaves: Sun‑dry in a single layer; pack dry to prevent mold .
Seeds: Dry and store in sealed containers .
Flour & Products: Leaves are ground fresh or dried; flavoured or packaged as supplements .

9. Conclusion

Kokin, or Erythroxylum coca, is much more than the controversial plant behind cocaine. With a 5,000+ year history, it’s been a gentle stimulant, a remedy for altitude sickness, a digestive aid, a pain reliever, and even a nutritional supplement. While it’s deeply embedded in Andean life and legally protected there, outside that context it’s often restricted due to its alkaloid content.

For a plant never present in Nepal, its story remains both fascinating and remote. In research contexts or botanical settings, coca continues to offer insight into balancing cultural heritage, traditional medicine, and pharmacological caution.

Reference

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