24 THE MEDICINAL PLANTS OF THE PHILIPPINES 



Anamirta Cocculus, Wight & Arn. (Menispermum Cocculus, 



(L.) Blanco ; M. lacunoswn, Famk ; Cocculus lacunosus, 



C. suberosus, DC.) 



Nom. Vulg. — Laktag, Lihtag, Suma, Lanta, Lintag bagin, 

 Tuba, Balasin, Bayati, Tag., Vis., Pam. 



Uses. — One of the uses to which the India berries (Cocas de 

 Levante) are put in the Philippines, is to throw them into small 

 sluggish streams or into lakes with the object of intoxicating 

 the fish which soon come to the surface and float there as if 

 dead. This custom is very extensive in Malaysia, in India and 

 even in Europe, where, in order to avoid the cases of poisoning 

 which this practice has occasioned in the consumers of fish taken 

 in this way, it has been found necessary to forbid the sale of 

 the berries except in the pharmacies. These restrictions are 

 practiced in France. 



In the Binondo market in Manila the root of this plant may 

 be found in abundance ; it is yellow and very bitter. The 

 natives use the infusion (5-10 grams to 300 cc. of water) in 

 fevers, dyspepsia and menstrual derangements. In India also 

 the root is used in the same complaints. 



The fruit contains the highly toxic principle picrotoxin, and 

 others as follows : 



Menispermin (C 18 H 24 N 2 2 ) is an alkaloid which crystallizes in 

 pyramidal prisms, is soluble in alcohol and ether and insoluble 

 in water. Hot nitric acid converts it into oxalic acid and a 

 yellow substance of a resinous appearance. 



Picrotoxin (C 30 H 24 O 13 ) is not an alkaloid as may be seen from 

 its formula. Its properties are not well known at the present 

 time. It crystallizes in small quadrilateral prisms, white and 

 transparent, or in needles grouped in stars. No odor, taste 

 bitter, insoluble in water, partly soluble in alcohol and in ether, 

 freely soluble in acids and alkalies. A solution in concentrated 

 sulphuric acid has a saffron-yellow color. Nitric acid trans- 

 forms it into oxalic acid, 



