Early Evidence of Cocaine Use in 17th Century Europe

A groundbreaking study by specialists from the University of Milan and Foundation IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico di Milano found evidence of cocaine use in Europe dating back to the 17th century. Their research, published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, involved an analysis of preserved brain tissues from individuals buried in the Ca' Granda crypt in Milan. These remains, mummified and entombed for centuries, contained active components of the coca plant, indicating the individuals consumed the leaves.

Historically, coca leaves have been chewed in South America for their stimulant effects, a practice dating back thousands of years, with tissue samples from Chilean mummies circa 1,000 BCE providing early evidence. Europeans first encountered coca leaves in the late 15th century through Spanish conquistadors, who documented the natives' use of the leaves to sustain energy and suppress hunger. Although originally attempted to be banned in the Americas, coca plants eventually made their way to Europe by the late 16th century.

The research focused on brains recovered from the crypt, which served as a burial site for 17th-century Milanese citizens, mainly those who perished while at Ospedale Maggiore. The presence of coca plant compounds suggests usage far earlier than previously documented, challenging the belief that cocaine's impact in Europe began only with the 19th-century synthesis of cocaine hydrochloride salts.

Importantly, the pharmacological records of Ospedale Maggiore reflect no medicinal use of coca plants, hinting that intake was recreational. Given the socio-economic status of those buried, it is plausible that coca leaves were both accessible and plentiful, indicating the long-standing recreational use of this narcotic.

The findings possibly mark the earliest known use of coca compounds in Europe, predated only by disputed evidence from Egyptian mummies in 1992. This discovery prompts further investigation into the extent of coca's influence in early modern Europe.

Earlier, SSP wrote that plants can defend themselves against heavy metals.