asian moonseed

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• asian moonseed
• dahurian moonseed
• daurian moonseed

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Menispermum dauricum f. pilosum
• Menispermum dauricum var. pauciflorum
• Menispermum miersii
• Menispermum dauricum var. pilosum
• Menispermum chinense

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is classified within the order Ranunculales and the family Menispermaceae. Specifically, it is identified by the genus Menispermum and the species Menispermum dauricum.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific geographical distribution concentrated within the vast regions of Siberia. It can be found growing in the Altai mountain range, which marks one of its key habitats. Additionally, the species is documented throughout the Republic of Buryatia. Its presence extends further into the Chitа region, demonstrating a wide longitudinal spread. Finally, the plant is also distributed across the Irkutsk and Krasnoyarsk areas, completing its Siberian range.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Menispermum dauricum is characterized by its adaptability to diverse and varied landscapes, allowing it to colonize several distinct environmental niches. This plant can be found thriving in the lush environments of meadows and the shaded understories of shrubberies, where it often benefits from moderate moisture and organic soil. It exhibits significant resilience by inhabiting mountain regions, where it must contend with different elevations and temperature fluctuations, as well as riparian zones near rivers that provide consistent hydration. Furthermore, its ability to persist in sandy substrates indicates a capacity to endure well-drained, nutrient-variable soils, showcasing a broad ecological range that spans from moist, sheltered areas to more exposed and rugged terrains.

Habitat :

meadows, mountains, rivers, sand, shrubberies

Life history

The life history of Menispermum dauricum is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. As a deciduous species, it undergoes a seasonal cycle where it sheds its foliage, typically in response to colder temperatures or changing environmental conditions, before regenerating its leaves during the favorable growing period.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Menispermum dauricum is characterized by a growth form primarily classified as a herb, specifically appearing as a herbaceous plant or forb. It exhibits a versatile habitat preference, ranging from aquatic and semiaquatic environments to terrestrial settings. As a facultative climber, the plant possesses the ability to ascend using surrounding structures rather than being strictly obligatory or self-supporting. In terms of its physiological nature, it functions as an independent organism, showing no parasitic tendencies. Furthermore, the woodiness of the species is considered variable, reflecting its adaptive structural qualities across different growing conditions.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

facultative

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

variable

Physiology

The physiology of Menispermum dauricum is characterized by its metabolic processes, most notably its reliance on the C3 photosynthetic pathway for carbon fixation. As a C3 plant, it utilizes the enzyme Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO) to fix atmospheric carbon dioxide directly into a three-carbon compound during the Calvin cycle. This metabolic strategy implies that the plant is optimized for environments where moisture is sufficiently available to support open stomata, allowing for efficient gas exchange while managing the inherent risk of photorespiration. The energy production within its tissues is driven by these light-dependent and light-independent reactions, which support the plant's growth, secondary metabolite synthesis, and overall vegetative development.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Menispermum dauricum is characterized by a dioecious sexual system, meaning that individual plants are distinctively male or female. The flowering process is highly specific to a seasonal window, with the flowering period typically starting in May and concluding within the same month of May, although the timing can remain variable depending on environmental conditions.

Flowering time :

May

Reproduction sexual :

dioecious

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Menispermum dauricum has 2 reported plant parts identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include root, rhizome.

Root

1. Natural product letters
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Planta medica
4. Plant disease

Rhizome

1. Journal of natural products

Chemicals

Menispermum dauricum has 11 reported phytochemicals identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Acutumine, Dauricine, (S)-Reticuline, Acutudaurin, Acutumidine.

Acutumine

1. The Journal of organic chemistry
2. Planta medica

Dauricine

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

(S)-Reticuline

1. Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)

Acutudaurin

1. Planta medica

Acutumidine

1. The Journal of organic chemistry

Dauricinoline

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

Dauricumidine

1. The Journal of organic chemistry

Daurinoline

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

Daurisoline

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

dauricumine

1. The Journal of organic chemistry

Activities

Menispermum dauricum has 1 reported activities identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Cytotoxic.

Cytotoxic

1. Journal of natural products

Conditions

Menispermum dauricum has 11 reported investigations on conditions identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include sore throat, allergy, arrhythmia, cancer, diarrhea.

Sore throat

1. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica
2. Plant disease

Allergy

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Arrhythmia

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Cancer

1. Journal of natural products

Diarrhea

1. Plant disease

Enteritis

1. Plant disease

Inflammation

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Pharyngitis

1. Frontiers in pharmacology

Platelet aggregation

1. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica

Rheumatism

1. Plant disease

Preparations

Menispermum dauricum has 4 reported preparations identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include cultured roots, phenolic alkaloids of Menispermum dauricum (PAMD), rhizomes, roots.

Cultured roots

1. Planta medica

Phenolic alkaloids of menispermum dauricum (pamd)

1. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica

Rhizomes

1. Journal of natural products

Roots

1. Natural product letters