The Alkaloids of Han-fang-chi

The Chinese drug fang-chi probably includes several species of menispermaceous plants. One variety that is commonly sold in Chinese drug stores is known as han-fang-chi apparently because it was originally cultivated in Han Chung (1). There is considerable uncertainty concerning the botanical identification of han-fang-chi. Hoffmann and Schultes (2) gave it the name CoccuZus juponicus, while “Botanical nomenclature” (3) classified it as Cocculus diversifolius. The last designation may not be correct because Ohta (4) reported the isolation of kukoline, C&Hzo03N.3Hz0, m.p. 162”, and diversine, GcH~~O~N, m.p. 144154’, from Cocculus diversifolius, while the alkaloid present in han-fang-chi, as described below, is obviously different from either of these. The part of the plant that is employed in Chinese medicine is the root. Han-fang-chi has been advocated as a diuretic, an expectorant, and a cathartic (1). It has also been recommended for the control of rheumatic pain and hemoptysis. A preliminary study of han-fang-chi was undertaken by Kubota (5) who separated an alkaloid which had a melting point of 217“, specific rotation [(Y]:’ = +262.8”, and an empirical formula C~H2303N. He believed that his alkaloid was identical with tetrandrine, which Kondo and Yano (6) isolated from the Japanese plant Stephania tetrandra. In 1931 a shipment of han-fang-chi was made available to us from Shanghai. These roots on the average measured 1.6 cm. in diameter. They were already cut in short pieces, 3.2 cm. long, and were split in the center longitudinally. The covering of the root is light brown, while the cut surface appears pale white.