Levant berry
Levant berry

Background

Levant berry is the fruit from a vine (Anamirta cocculus) that grows in Southeast Asia. The dried fruit and seeds are used to make medicine in some parts of the world. But medicinal use has been abandoned in the US and Europe due to safety concerns. However, picrotoxin, the active chemical in levant berry, is still used in research.

Some people take levant berry to treat abnormal movement of the eyeball and dizziness. Picrotoxin that is taken from levant berry seeds is used for epilepsy, night sweats, and as a stimulant.

Some people apply levant berry powder directly to the skin to treat a skin disease called scabies.

In India, levant berry leaves are inhaled as snuff to relieve malaria. Whole fruits are used for paralyzing fish and killing birds or dogs. Jungle tribes apply picrotoxin taken from the seeds to arrow tips for hunting. Picrotoxin used to be used to paralyze fish in the fishing industry. Extracts are applied to the skin for treating lice.
Levant berry is UNSAFE to take by mouth. The picrotoxin it contains can cause death, even in small amounts. Accidentally taking levant berry requires immediate medical attention. Levant berry cause side effects such as headache, dizziness, nausea, coordination problems, depression, spasms, twitching, increased saliva, vomiting, increased emptying of the bowels, rapid breathing, drowsiness, irregular heartbeat, decreased heart rate, unconsciousness, and death.

Levant berry may also be UNSAFE when put on the skin.

Special Precautions & Warnings:

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: It is UNSAFE to take levant berry. It is poisonous and can cause death. Don’t use it.

Effectiveness

NatMed Pro rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate.
Likely effective Effectiveness definitions
Possibly effective Effectiveness definitions
Likely ineffective Effectiveness definitions
Possibly ineffective Effectiveness definitions
Insufficient evidence Effectiveness definitions
  • Abnormal movements of the eyeball.
  • Dizziness.
  • Night sweats.
  • Epilepsy.
  • Use as a stimulant.
  • Scabies, when a powder is applied to the skin.
  • Lice, when extracts are applied to the skin.
  • Malaria, when the leaves are inhaled.
  • Other conditions.
More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of levant berry for these uses.

Dosing & administration

The appropriate dose of levant berry depends on several factors such as the user's age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for levant berry. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using.

Interactions with pharmaceuticals

It is not known if Levant Berry interacts with any medicines. Before taking Levant Berry, talk with your healthcare professional if you take any medications.

Interactions with herbs & supplements

There are no known interactions with herbs and supplements.

Interactions with foods

There are no known interactions with foods.

Action

Levant berry contains a chemical that stimulates the central nervous system, irritates the stomach and intestines, and stimulates the brain causing changes in breathing. It also slows heart rate and increases blood pressure.
Calm
RRP: $41.50$33.20Save: 20%
Create account
Calm Oral Spray
RRP: $23.99$19.20Save: 20%
Create account
Organo Neuro Balance
4.0 (1)
0.0 ()
Per serve:
Practitioner product
Nausea Relief
4.5 (2 pracs)
5.0 (1 client)
RRP: $19.10$14.89Save: 22%
Create account
Calm Tablets
RRP: $26.50$21.20Save: 20%
Create account
Vomiplex Oral Spray
Per 0.52 mL:
Practitioner product
vital.ly has licensed monographs from TRC Healthcare.
This monograph was last reviewed on 07/12/2023 11:00:00. Monographs are reviewed and/or updated multiple times per month and at least once per year.
Natural Medicines disclaims any responsibility related to medical consequences of using any medical product. Effort is made to ensure that the information contained in this monograph is accurate at the time it was published. Consumers and medical professionals who consult this monograph are cautioned that any medical or product related decision is the sole responsibility of the consumer and/or the health care professional. A legal License Agreement sets limitations on downloading, storing, or printing content from this Database. No reproduction of this monograph or any content from this Database is permitted without written permission from the publisher. It is unlawful to download, store, or distribute content from this site.