Benzoylecgonine

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Ecgonine benzoate
IUPAC name: 3-benzoyloxy-8-methyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane-4-carboxylic acid
CAS number 519-09-5	ATC code ?
Chemical formula	C₁₆H₁₉N O₄
Molecular weight	289.326 g/mol
Bioavailability	?
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Elimination half life	?
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Legal status	DEA Schedule II
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Benzoylecgonine (ecgonine benzoate) is the primary metabolite of cocaine. It is formed in the liver by the metabolism of cocaine, catalysed by carboxylesterases, and subsequently excreted in the urine. Small amounts may be traced back to certain OTC (over the counter) medications, after having been metabolised in the liver^{[citation needed]}.

In 2005, scientists found surprisingly large quantities of benzoylecgonine in Italy's Po River and used its concentration to estimate the number of cocaine users in the region. In 2006, a similar study was performed in the Swiss ski town of Saint-Moritz using waste water to estimate the daily cocaine consumption of the population. Also in 2006, scientists realized that this wasn't an effective way to determine the estimated cocaine users in the region and later switched to anonymous surveys.