Anamirta cocculus | |
---|---|
Indian berry (Anamirta cocculus) | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Order: | Ranunculales |
Family: | Menispermaceae |
Genus: | Anamirta |
Species: | A. cocculus
|
Binomial name | |
Anamirta cocculus | |
Synonyms [1] | |
|
Anamirta cocculus ( Marathi: काकमारी) is a Southeast Asian and Indian climbing plant. Its fruit is the source of picrotoxin, a poisonous compound with stimulant properties.
The plant is large-stemmed (up to 10 cm in diameter); the bark is "corky gray" with white wood. The "small, yellowish-white, sweet-scented" flowers vary between 6 and 10 millimeters across; the fruit produced is a drupe, "about 1 cm in diameter when dry". [2]
The stem and the roots contain quaternary alkaloids, such as berberine, palmatine, magnoflorine and columbamine. [3] The seeds deliver picrotoxin, a sesquiterpene, while the seed shells contain the tertiary alkaloids menispermine and paramenispermine. [3] [4]
Its crushed seeds are an effective pediculicide (anti- lice) and are also traditionally used to stun fish or as a pesticide. [2] [5] In pharmacology, it is known as Cocculus Indicus.
Although poisonous, hard multum is a preparation made from Cocculus Indicus, etc., once used (by 19th century brewers) [6] to impart a more intoxicating quality ("giddiness") to beer than provided by the alcoholic content alone. [7] [8] Charles Dickens referred to those engaging in such practices as "brewers and beer-sellers of low degree,... who do not understand the wholesome policy of selling wholesome beverage." [9] Although appearing in many homeopathic volumes and at least two brewers' guides, the use of such preparations was outlawed in England, during the mid-19th century, with fines of £500 for sale and £200 for use of the drug. [8]
The wood of the plant is used for fuel and carving. [2]
The English common names are Indian berry, [6] fishberry, or Levant nut [10] (both referring to the dried fruit, and to the plant by synecdoche) and coca de Levante in Spanish; it is variously known as ligtang, aria ( Mindanao), bayati ( Tagalog), and variations thereof throughout its natural distribution (the Philippines, East India, Malaysia, and New Guinea).
The name "fishberry" comes from the use of the dried fruit as a method of fishing, in which the fish is "stupified and captured"; this method, however, is considered "unsportsmanlike". [11]
Anamirta cocculus | |
---|---|
Indian berry (Anamirta cocculus) | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Order: | Ranunculales |
Family: | Menispermaceae |
Genus: | Anamirta |
Species: | A. cocculus
|
Binomial name | |
Anamirta cocculus | |
Synonyms [1] | |
|
Anamirta cocculus ( Marathi: काकमारी) is a Southeast Asian and Indian climbing plant. Its fruit is the source of picrotoxin, a poisonous compound with stimulant properties.
The plant is large-stemmed (up to 10 cm in diameter); the bark is "corky gray" with white wood. The "small, yellowish-white, sweet-scented" flowers vary between 6 and 10 millimeters across; the fruit produced is a drupe, "about 1 cm in diameter when dry". [2]
The stem and the roots contain quaternary alkaloids, such as berberine, palmatine, magnoflorine and columbamine. [3] The seeds deliver picrotoxin, a sesquiterpene, while the seed shells contain the tertiary alkaloids menispermine and paramenispermine. [3] [4]
Its crushed seeds are an effective pediculicide (anti- lice) and are also traditionally used to stun fish or as a pesticide. [2] [5] In pharmacology, it is known as Cocculus Indicus.
Although poisonous, hard multum is a preparation made from Cocculus Indicus, etc., once used (by 19th century brewers) [6] to impart a more intoxicating quality ("giddiness") to beer than provided by the alcoholic content alone. [7] [8] Charles Dickens referred to those engaging in such practices as "brewers and beer-sellers of low degree,... who do not understand the wholesome policy of selling wholesome beverage." [9] Although appearing in many homeopathic volumes and at least two brewers' guides, the use of such preparations was outlawed in England, during the mid-19th century, with fines of £500 for sale and £200 for use of the drug. [8]
The wood of the plant is used for fuel and carving. [2]
The English common names are Indian berry, [6] fishberry, or Levant nut [10] (both referring to the dried fruit, and to the plant by synecdoche) and coca de Levante in Spanish; it is variously known as ligtang, aria ( Mindanao), bayati ( Tagalog), and variations thereof throughout its natural distribution (the Philippines, East India, Malaysia, and New Guinea).
The name "fishberry" comes from the use of the dried fruit as a method of fishing, in which the fish is "stupified and captured"; this method, however, is considered "unsportsmanlike". [11]