# Cocaine and poo **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 13, 2006, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocaine-and-poo/339798 "2006-01-13T08:21:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![marky33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@marky33](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marky33)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2006, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocaine-and-poo/339798/1 "2006-01-13T08:21:36Z")
What is the chemical in cocaine (or whatever its cut with) that makes a user void their bowels so quickly and so thoroughly? And is it an ingredient in any legal laxatives? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2006, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocaine-and-poo/339798/2 "2006-01-13T08:51:20Z")
> [@marky33](#): > > What is the chemical in cocaine (or whatever its cut with) that makes a user void their bowels so quickly and so thoroughly? And is it an ingredient in any legal laxatives? Cocaine. ---
**Author:** ![marky33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@marky33](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marky33)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2006, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocaine-and-poo/339798/3 "2006-01-13T08:58:34Z")
> [@Joey P](#): > > Cocaine. Not being a chemist, Joey, I can’t be sure, but, since cocaine has the chemical formula C17 H21 NO4, I’m thinking there may be more than one chemical in the pure drug. And, as I mentioned in the OP, the substance in question could lie in whatever street coke is cut with. You’re answer wasn’t helpful, nor was it clever. ---
**Author:** ![Cillasi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@Cillasi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cillasi)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2006, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocaine-and-poo/339798/4 "2006-01-13T09:06:07Z")
> [@](#): > > The cutting or diluting agent used for cocaine again varies with the individual and the substance that is readily available to that individual. Some of the common cutting agents for cocaine are: > > Procaine which is a synthetic preparation in powder form used as a local anesthetic; Mannite, a sugar substance used as a laxative and produced in Italy; Menita, a milk sugar from Mexico and South America; Lactose or Dextrose, a white powdered milk sugar used as a baby food supplement and purchased readily in the United States in any drug store; Powdered methamphetamine also known as speed; Epsom salts; Quinine used to treat leg cramps and malaria; Powder vitamins purchased in health food stores and just about any soluble powder that is not disruptive to the body can be used, such as baking soda, powdered sugar, powdered milk, starch, etc From: [Psychedelic Chemistry - Cocaine](http://www.erowid.org/archive/rhodium/chemistry/psychedelicchemistry/chapter8.html) Many ingredients used to cut cocaine have a laxative effect. I couldn’t tell you which ones are most commonly used in which countries. Some of the more caustic agents, like quinine, are typically used to cut heroin. I think the milk sugars are usually used to cut cocaine. > [@marky33](#): > > What is the chemical in cocaine (or whatever its cut with) that makes a user void their bowels so quickly and so thoroughly? And is it an ingredient in any legal laxatives? ---
**Author:** ![marky33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@marky33](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marky33)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2006, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocaine-and-poo/339798/5 "2006-01-13T09:16:34Z")
> [@Cillasi](#): > > Many ingredients used to cut cocaine have a laxative effect. From your link, it appears only the Italian mannite is used as a laxative. Has anyone here tried mannite as a laxative (that they know of) – does it work instantaneously and comprehensively (maybe in large amounts)? ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2006, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocaine-and-poo/339798/6 "2006-01-13T12:06:23Z")
> [@marky33](#): > > Not being a chemist, Joey, I can’t be sure, but, since cocaine has the chemical formula C17 H21 NO4, I’m thinking there may be more than one chemical in the pure drug. Just clarifying here - that’s not what it means. That formula gives the composition of a single cocaine molecule. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2006, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocaine-and-poo/339798/7 "2006-01-13T14:35:26Z")
> [@marky33](#): > > You’re answer wasn’t helpful, nor was it clever. Wasn’t trying to be clever. Stimulants can act as laxatives, and cocaine being a stimulant… ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2006, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocaine-and-poo/339798/8 "2006-01-13T14:56:58Z")
Back in the '80s I heard that cocaine was often cut with the baby laxative Manitol. (I wonder if that would be a safe and legal substitute for a movie scene?) ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2006, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocaine-and-poo/339798/9 "2006-01-13T14:57:20Z")
> [@marky33](#): > > Not being a chemist, Joey, I can’t be sure, but, since cocaine has the chemical formula C17 H21 NO4, I’m thinking there may be **more than one chemical in the pure drug.** WHAT? Please explain how there can be more that one chemical in a PURE chemical! Legal, OTC laxatives, use gentler purgatives, never a narcotic. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2006, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cocaine-and-poo/339798/10 "2006-01-13T17:18:49Z")
> [@Johnny L.A.](#): > > (I wonder if that would be a safe and legal substitute for a movie scene?) Johnny Depp mentioned snorting a lot of Lactose for the movie Blow.