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Botanical Classification |
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Kingdom |
Plantae |
Division |
Magnoliophyta |
Class |
Magnoliopsida |
Order |
Rananculales |
Family |
Menispermaceae |
Genus |
Anamirta |
Species |
cocculus |
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Family |
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Botanical- Menispermaceae
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Other Names |
- English : Levant berries, Fish berries, Crow killer
- Hindi : Kakamari
- Kannada : Kakamari Kayamari
- Malayalam : Pala, Kallakkaya Pettumarunnu
- Sanskrit : Garalaphala Kakamari
- Tamil : Kakamari
- Telugu : Garalaphala Kakinicampacettu
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Habitat |
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Throughout India in forests.
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Morphology |
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A large,woody, climbing shrub with vertically furrowed ash- coloured bark and glabrous young parts; leaves large, simple, alternate, long-petioled, petioles thickened at the base and apex, broadly ovate, subcoriaceous, cordate or truncate at the base, acute or acuminate, 5-nerved with tufts of hairs in the axils of the nerves except the basal ones; flowers greenish in long panicles, drooping from the nodes of the old wood; fruits drupes, kidney shaped, turning red on ripening.
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Chemical Constituents |
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The seeds contain two alkaloids, menispermine and paramenispermme. Seeds yield fat with a pale yellow colour, an agreeable taste and the following constants: acid val, iod val, sap val, acetyl val, unsapon mater. The fatty acid compostion is as follows: palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic. The unsaponified matter contains sitosterol.
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Pharmacology |
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Leaf and stem extracts of Kalmegh given subcutaneous or orally did not change blood sugar level of normal or diabetic rats (Bangladesh Pharm J, 1977, 6, 21, CA, 1978, 88, 315y). Kamegh increased biliary flow and liver wt. In rats and decreased hexobarbital induced sleeping time less potent than Phenobarbital (Indian J Exp Biol, 1978, 16, 830). Alcoholic extracts of plant prolonged the life of mice given cobra snake venom. Extracts showed muscarinic activity in dog B.P. etc. (Indian J Pharm Sci, 1978, 40, 132). Powd. Stem showed anti-fertility action.
According to ayurveda it contains
- Gunna (properties)- laghu (light) and ruksh (dry)
- Rasa (taste) – tickta (bitter)
- Virya (potency) – ushan (hot)
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Toxicology |
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No toxic effect was seen on human body with Anamirta cocculus consumption
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Plant part used |
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Leaves, fruits & seeds.
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Indication |
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Uses |
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The fruits are bitter, astringent, thermogenic, expectorant, antifungal, anthelmintic and depurative. They are useful in vitiated conditions of kapha and vata, bronchitis, dermatophytosis, foul ulcers, inflammations, flatulence, chronic skin diseases and ringworm. The tender leaves are used by the tribals for the contraction of the uterus immediately after delivery.
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