Suppression
Moonseed
Category: Medicines - plant based
Type
Voluntary
Introduction and description

Menispermum canadense L. (Menispermaceae) -- Moonseed is a small deciduous climbing woody vine in the moonseed family (Menispermaceae).
Plants in this genus have small dioecious flowers, and clusters of small grape-like drupes.
The name, moonseed, comes from the shape of the seed, which resembles a crescent moon.
The word Menispermum is derived from the Greek words mene, meaning moon, and sperma meaning seed. The common name moonseed is also applied to some other species in the related genus Cocculus.
Dr Duke’s analysis of the plant, provided as an observation, is only valid for Menispermum canadense L. – Canadian moonseed, found in northeastern North America.

But there is also another Moonseed whose analysis we do not have - Menispermum dauricum DC. – Asian moonseed, found in northeastern Asia.
Tetrandrine, dauricine, daurisoline and neferine are bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid derivatives isolated from Chinese traditional medicine and herbs. The cardiovascular pharmacological effects and the mechanism of actions of these compounds were reviewed. ……... Dauricine and daurisoloine were isolated from Menispermum dauricum DC. The antiarrhythmic effects of dauricine have been verified in different experimental arrhythmic models and in cardiac arrhythmic patients. Dauricine blocked the cardiac transmembrane Na+,K+ and Ca2+ ion currents. Differing from quinidine and sotalol, which exhibited reverse use-dependent effect, dauricine prolonged APD in a normal use-dependent manner in experimental studies. The antiarrhythmic effect of daurisoline and neferine which is an alkaloid isolated from Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn, and their mechanisms of actions have also been studied. The antiarrhythmic effect of daurisoline is more potent than that of dauricine. PMID: 12466045
Better to find the cause of the arrhythmia, but in the meantime……
Medicinal uses

As Wikipedia says “All parts of these plants are known to be poisonous. Children have been killed from eating the fruits”, but Moonseed contains Berberine and this chemical is of great interest scientifically.
Asian Moonseed has been used to treat skin disorders, rheumatism, and cervical cancer, as such there is the possibility that its chemical composition may not be too dissimilar.
References and further reading
- Inhibitory effects of phenolic alkaloids of Menispermum dauricum on gastric cancer in vivo. Zhang HF, Wu D, Du JK, Zhang Y, Su YM. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2014;15(24):10825-30. PMID: 25605184
- Anti-ovarian cancer potential of two acidic polysaccharides from the rhizoma of Menispermum dauricum. Lin M, Xia B, Yang M, Gao S, Huo Y, Lou G. Carbohydr Polym. 2013 Feb 15;92(2):2212-7. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2012.12.013. Epub 2012 Dec 13. PMID: 23399279
- Phenolic alkaloids from Menispermum dauricum rhizome protect against brain ischemia injury via regulation of GLT-1, EAAC1 and ROS generation. Zhao B, Chen Y, Sun X, Zhou M, Ding J, Zhan JJ, Guo LJ. Molecules. 2012 Mar 6;17(3):2725-37. doi: 10.3390/molecules17032725. PMID: 22395403
- Induction of apoptosis in human cervical carcinoma Hela cells with active components of Menispermum dauricum. Wang JY, Sun S, Liu L, Yang WS. Genet Mol Res. 2014 Feb 13;13(2):3545-52. doi: 10.4238/2014.February.13.17. PMID: 24615103
- Isoquinoline and isoindole alkaloids from Menispermum dauricum. Zhang X, Ye W, Zhao S, Che CT. Phytochemistry. 2004 Apr;65(7):929-32. PMID: 15081297
- Chlorinated alkaloids in Menispermum dauricum DC: root culture. Sugimoto Y, Babiker HA, Saisho T, Furumoto T, Inanaga S, Kato M. J Org Chem. 2001 May 18;66(10):3299-302. PMID: 11348110
- Characterization and antitumor activities of a polysaccharide from the rhizoma of Menispermum dauricum. Lin M, Xia B, Yang M, Gao S, Huo Y, Lou G. Int J Biol Macromol. 2013 Feb;53:72-6. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2012.11.012. Epub 2012 Nov 16. PMID: 23164756
- Genetic and alkaloid analysis of Menispermum dauricum DC. by RAPD and HPLC. Zhou J, Qu F, Nan R. Phytochem Anal. 2007 Nov-Dec;18(6):509-15. PMID: 17624888
- [A new alkaloid from Menispermum dauricum DC--N-desmethyldauricine]. Pan XP. Yao Xue Xue Bao. 1992;27(10):788-91. Chinese. PMID: 1293929
- [Effect of phenolic alkaloids of Menispermum dauricum on thrombosis and platelet aggregation]. Kong XY, Gong PL. Yao Xue Xue Bao. 2005 Oct;40(10):916-9. Chinese. PMID: 16408809
- Alkaloids from Menispermum dauricum. Yu BW, Chen JY, Wang YP, Cheng KF, Li XY, Qin GW. Phytochemistry. 2002 Oct;61(4):439-42. PMID: 12377240
Related observations
Healing observations
- Dr Duke's list of Chemicals and their Biological Activities in: Menispermum canadense L. (Menispermaceae) -- Moonseed 018369
- Dr Duke's list of Plants containing BERBERINE 018336
- Dr Duke's list of Plants with Antichlamydial Activity 018322
- Dr Duke's list of Plants with Anticholecystitic activity 018367
- Dr Duke's list of Plants with Anticholera activity 018325
- Dr Duke's list of Plants with Anticonjunctivitic Activity 019935
- Dr Duke's list of Plants with Antigiardial Activity 018316
- Dr Duke's list of Plants with Antigonorrhea activity 018305
- Dr Duke's list of Plants with Antishigellic activity 018394
- Dr Duke's list of Plants with Antisyphilitic Activity 018330
- Dr Duke's list of Plants with Antitrachomic Activity 019949
- Dr Duke's list of Plants with Antitrachomic Activity 019937