Cocaine goes as far back as the 1600s, Milan crypt study reveals

Researchers have found evidence of recreational cocaine use in 17th-century Milan through a study of human remains.

A study published in the Journal of Archaeological Sciences reveals that individuals in 17th-century Milan were using coca leaves "for recreational purposes," according to findings from an investigation into the Ca’ Granda crypt beneath the Church of the Beata Vergine Annunciata.

The crypt houses the remains of patients from Ospedale Maggiore, a "pioneering hospital" in Milan that provided medical care to the city's impoverished population. 

Researchers conducted toxicological analyses on preserved brain tissues and discovered compounds of cocaine, benzoylecgonine, and hygrine in two cases. 

These findings suggest that the individuals had ingested cocaine, as the presence of benzoylecgonine, a degradation product of cocaine, confirmed the consumption of the substance.

The study further identified hygrine, a molecule found in the leaves of the Erythroxylum genus, which includes the coca plant. This discovery was crucial in determining that cocaine intake occurred through the chewing of coca leaves rather than other forms, such as cocaine hydrochloride salts.

The presence of these compounds in human remains from the 1600s is described as "unprecedented," particularly because the hospital's pharmacological records do not mention the Erythroxylum plant until the late 19th century. 

This absence from official records implies that the plant was not used medicinally at the hospital during the earlier period. Instead, the coca leaves may have been consumed for their stimulant effects or "for recreational purposes."

The study's findings provide new insights into the historical use of cocaine in Europe, highlighting the evolution of its use over the centuries. While coca-derived products were commonly used as medicine in the 19th century, today, they are a significant cause of overdose deaths worldwide.