A review of the lesser known sides of the plant genus Erythroxylum

Since the Western world came across the South American plant genus Erythroxylum, the use of this multifaceted genus has been associated with the production of soft drinks, such as Coca Cola, or with the abuse of the purified plant substance in the form of the narcotic cocaine. However, the indigenous peoples of South America have been using different Erythroxylum species within their traditional medicine for thousands of years. A review article written by IPK scientist Dr. John D'Auria and a number of scientists from different Colombian research institutes now aims to reopen the conversation around the stigmatised plant by highlighting the numerous—positive— potential use cases of the controversial genus.