Botanical Overview
Erythroxylum australe is a species in the Erythroxylaceae family. The coca family (Erythroxylaceae) includes tropical shrubs and small trees with alternate leaves and small flowers. The plants produce alkaloids concentrated in the leaves, most notably cocaine and related tropane alkaloids. Species in this family have a long history of traditional stimulant and medicinal use in South America. Although comprehensive ethnobotanical records are limited, phytochemical studies have identified 6 compounds in this species, suggesting potential medicinal value.
General Description
The plant is known by a variety of names including Brigalow erythroxylon shrub and dogwood (unrelated to Cornus). The plant grows in a wide variety of habitats in subcoastal and coastal regions, ranging from dry rainforest and vine thickets to open savanna woodland. The leaves contain 0. 8% meteloidine, an alkaloid similar to cocaine. All Erythroxylaceae species are banned in NSW.
Family Context
The Erythroxylaceae family is primarily neotropical. Notable medicinal members include:
- Coca — 42 documented uses
- Amazonian Coca — 42 documented uses
- Guarda orvalho — 1 documented uses
- Arabillo — 1 documented uses
Geographic Distribution
Erythroxylum australe has been recorded in Australia, New Caledonia, and ZZ.
Active Compounds
Phytochemical research has identified 6 compounds in this species, including a diverse array of phytochemical classes (see the Complete Chemical Inventory below for the full list).
The identified compounds include the following categories:
- Alkaloid: nitrogenous compounds with diverse pharmacological activities
Research Status
Although this species has documented phytochemical constituents, its ethnobotanical and clinical documentation remains incomplete. Systematic pharmacological studies are needed to validate the traditional uses attributed to this species.