The effects of dietary supplements of
cocaine,
ecgonine methyl ester, a coca leaf extract and powdered coca leaves on
body weight and overall body metabolism were studied in the rat. Respiratory quotient was measured to assess the relative utilization of
fats,
carbohydrates and
protein. The effect of
cocaine and
ecgonine methyl ester on
protein metabolism was also assessed in terms of changes in the relative state of
nitrogen balance. Rats maintained on a low
protein/high
carbohydrate diet containing
cocaine (1 mg/g) exhibited normal body weight gain on normal food intake. Rats on the same diet with 2 mg/g
cocaine as the hydrochloride or as coca
dextrin lost weight, which was apparently related to diminished food intake. In contrast, rats received the same high level of
cocaine as coca leaf
powder in the same diet had minimal
weight gain in spite of a high food intake. In contrast, rats receiving the same high level of
cocaine as ly, rats receiving the same high level of
cocaine (2 mg/g) in a
high protein diet had normal food intake and
body weight gain. An adequate
protein diet appears to compensate for whatever inhibiting effect is imposed on the body by the high levels of
cocaine.
Ecgonine methyl ester appears to have no significant effect on food intake or
body weight. Rats fed the low
protein/high
carbohydrate diet containing either the low (1 mg/g) or the high (2 mg/g)
cocaine level exhibited significantly depressed respiratory quotients (near 0.75) suggesting increased fat utilization. The magnitude of the reduction appeared to be dose-related. Yet, the respiratory quotient of the rats receiving the high level of
cocaine in a
high protein diet remained at normal control values. Also, in a separate
nitrogen balance-type of experiment, rats receiving the low level of
cocaine (1 mg/g low
protein/high
carbohydrate diet) exhibited a normal ability to accumulate body
nitrogen, presumably
protein. These results support the idea that under conditions of
protein deprivation
cocaine helps spare
amino acids through the preferential utilization of fat. Coca leaf in the low
protein/high
carbohydrate diet equivalent to 2 mg/g
cocaine had a small but significant positive effect on respiratory quotient possibly due to the availability of utilizable nitrogenous components in the coca leaf. The respiratory quotient effects were less obvious with an extract of coca leaf incorporated in the diet as coca-
dextrin, but showed the same trend.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)