Anamirta cocculus Menispermaceae

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. 

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 . 

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/... 

Anamirta paniculata (= A. cocculus-, Menispermum occulus), Tinomiscium philippinense (Menispermaceae) [drupe]... 

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