Zanthoxylum coco

Zanthoxylum coco (also known as Fagara coco) is an evergreen tree of the family Rutaceae, native to Argentina and Bolivia where it grows in the wild, mostly in spiniferous forests of the low mountain ranges of the western Chaco.

The coco, also cochucho or smelly sauco, is usually found either in isolated groups or standing alone, from a small to medium-sized tree, ranging from 6 to 8 metres in height.

The foliage is abundant, evergreen with imparipinnate leaves that present paired spines presumably in the place of leaflets.

[3] Even though unused in the general botanical pharmacopeia, Zanthoxylum coco tissues are very rich in alkaloids.

γ-Fagarine, N-methylisocorydine, skimminianine, α-fagarine, fagarine-2, magnoflorine, nitidine, chelerythrine, berberine, palmatine and candicine have been isolated from the foliage and wood.