Anamirta cocculus

Picrotoxin is a mixture of pircotin (non-toxic) and picrotoxinin, which occurs in the seeds of the Asiatic climber Anamirta cocculus (levent berry, cockles). It is a non-competitive antagonist at the y -aminobutyric acidA (GABAa) receptor. 

Menispermaceae Menispermum cocculus (Anamirta cocculus = A. paniculata), India,... 

The first picrotoxanes discovered were isolated from the dried seeds of Menispermum cocculus (Anamirta cocculus) (1). Their characteristic features are two y-lactones and an oxrrane. M. cocculus belongs to the Menispermaceae ( moon seed family), which is in the order Ranunculales, and thus part of the primitive eudicots. So far, M. cocculus is the only species of the primitive eudicots recorded to contain picrotoxanes, and this species can be found in India, Sri Lanka, and southeast Asia. 

Pradhan P, Mamdapur VR, Sipahimalani AT (1990) Methyl Picrotoxate, a Minor Component of Berries of the Plant Anamirta cocculus and its Stereochemistry by High Resolution NMR Spectroscopy. Indian J Chem 29B 676... 

An active principle from the seeds of Anamirta cocculus = A. paniculata) (Menispermaceae). The fruits of A. cocculus are sometimes known as fish berries or Levant berries . 

Anamirta cocculus, 902 Anamirta pamculata, 902 Anamycin, 589 Anapolon, 842 Anaprox, 799 Anaspaz, 676 Anasteron, 842 Anatensol, 629 Anatensol Decanoate, 629 Anautin, 549 Ancobon, 621 Ancolan, 724 Ancoloxin, 724, 949 Ancosal, 965... 

Southern Tropical Moist Deciduous Forests (500 m) Bambusa arundinacea, Acronychia pedunculata, Anamirta cocculus, Blachia calycina, Helicteres isora, Terminalia chebula etc. Evergreen elements dominating the lower storey giving the false impression of evergreen nature to these forests... 

Picrotoxin, a component of Anamirta cocculus and A. paniculata, was first used as a... 

Proaporphines, which are biosynthetic precursors of aporphine alkaloids, have been isolated from two Sri Lankan plants of the family Menisperma-ceae. Investigation of Diploclisia glaucescens (BL) Diels, (syn Cocculus macrocarpus Wight and Am.) has afforded a new alkaloid, glucescine (40) (43), and stepharine (41) (44). Stepharine (41) was also found to occur in Anamirta cocculus (44-46). 

The protoberberines constitute a group of alkaloids that can theoretically be derived from benzylisoquinolines by condensation with S-adenosyl-methionine. Protoberberine alkaloids occur in a wide variety of plant families, including the Annonaceae, Berberidaceae, Menispermaceae, Papa-veraceae, Ranunculaceae, and Rutaceae. Investigation of the stem of Anamirta cocculus (L.) Wight and Arn. (Menispermaceae), a southeast Asian plant collected in Sri Lanka, has afforded two protoberberine alkaloids, (-)-8-oxotetrahydropalmatine (62) and oxypalmatine (63) (46), whereas the stems and roots of the same species occurring in Indonesia have yielded, in addition to 62, berberine, palmatine, magnoflorine, and columbamine (58). 

Cocculus. Fish-barry Indian bsrry Gaecufus indi-cus oriental berry. Dried fruit of Anamirta cocculus (L.) Wight Am.. Menispermaceae. Habit. East Indies, Malay Archipelago. Consiir. Menispermine, paramenispermine, about 1% picrotoxin, picrotoxic acid, cocculine alkaloid, about 50% fat. Poisonous/... 

Picrotoxin, Cocculin. CwHmO mol wt 602.57. C 59.79%, H 5.69%, O 34.52%. Bitter principle isolated from the seed of Anamirta cocculus L. Wight Arn., Meni-spermaceae. also found in Tinomiscium philippinense Diels. Extraction procedure dark, J. Am diem. Soc. 57, 1111 (1935). For a complete chemical bibliography up to April 1949 see Helv Chim Acta 32, 1859 (1949). Picrotoxin is a molecular compd of one mole picrotoxinin, q.v.. and one mole picrotin, q. V-, into which it is readily separated. Crystal and molecular structure L. Dupont er al. Acta Crystallogr. B32, 2987 (1976). 

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