What is the toxin contained in this plant (Anamirta cocculus) and its mechanism of toxicity?
Anamirta cocculus, commonly known as the fish-berry, contains picrotoxin which is a GABA-A receptor antagonist. It noncompetitively binds the picrotoxin binding site of the GABA-A receptor, closing the chloride ion channel, and has stimulant and convulsant effects.
Olsen RW. Picrotoxin-like channel blockers of GABAA receptors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2006 Apr 18;103(16):6081-2. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0601121103. Epub 2006 Apr 10. PMID: 16606858; PMCID: PMC1458832.
Contributed by Catherine Dong, MD