Solanum virginianum, Yellow Fruit Nightshade, Thai striped eggplant

Solanum virginianum, a prickly herb, commonly known as Yellow Fruit Nightshade has been used in Ayurveda and folklore medicine since time immemorial. It belongs to Solanaceae family. It is found in most parts of Asia and Australia of the world. This plant is cultivated in Himalayas, Australia, South-East Malaysia and Polynesia region. It is also found in India often in roadsides, in waste places and in open space.

The perennial herb grows to 1.2 meters tall with a woody base and profusely branched stem. Young ones are clothed with dense tomentose and stellate hairs. Stems are green when young and brownish when matured. Leaves are elliptical ovate. Flowers are solitary, blue followed by globular fruits. Prickles are straight, compressed, shining and glabrous about 1 to 3 cm long. Leaves are subpinnatifid, sinuate, ovate or elliptic, obtuse or subacute and stellately hairy on both sides. Petioles are stellately hairy and prickly. Flowers are solitary, bisexual, actinomorphic and slightly zygomorphic. The calyx is synsepalous, pricky and densely hairy. Corolla is sympetalous and ranges from forms with a short tube. Petals are violet with deltoid, acute? and hairy lobes. Stamens are distinct and alternate with lobes of corolla and adnate to corolla tube or perigynous zone. Anther filament is glabrous, long and anther opens by a pore. Gynoecium has a single compound pistil of 2 carpels, a single style, superior ovary having 2 or rarely more locules. Ovary is glabrous and ovoid. A nectary disk is found around the base of the ovary. Fruit is a septicidal capsule or berry which possesses a sweet smell and attracts livestock and wild herbivores. Seeds inside the fruit are glabrous.

Preparations with Yellow Fruit Nightshade

• Juice
• Extract
• Powder
• Tonic

Proper Dosage?

• Juice: 5 to 10 ml
• Extract: 5 to 10 ml
• Powder: 3 to 6 gm
• Tonic: 5 to 10 ml

Health Benefits

1. It eliminates phlegm and mucus from bronchial tubes and also cure respiratory ailments such as asthma, cough and bronchitis.
2. It strengthens stomach walls and improves nutrient absorption.
3. It prevents the chances of intestinal infections.
4. It also prevent accumulation of excessive fluids in tissues and cures dropsy.
5. Gargle with Yellow Fruit Nightshade extract to provide relief from throat ailments.
6. It is used to treat skin problems.
7. Roots are used to maintain body temperature.
8. It clears flatulence and constipation?.
9. In diabetic patients, it lowers blood sugar.
10. It is used to reduce fertility and treat gonorrhea.

Therapeutic Uses

• Cough

Yellow Fruit Nightshade is an antitussive that lowers cough reflex and as an expectorant, it thins mucus and also lowers its production. This plant clears airways and assures proper functioning of the lungs.

• Asthma

Yellow Fruit Nightshade dilates bronchioles and reduces swelling? and mucus formation. It prevents the conditions such as common cold, sinusitis, and upper respiratory allergies.

• Urinary Disorders

As a diuretic, Yellow Fruit Nightshade upgrades the amount of salt and water expelled from the body through urine. It also lowers blood pressure by eliminating salt from the body. As an bacterial? infections. সহজ বাংলা: ব্যাকটেরিয়ার সংক্রমণের ওষুধ।" data-rx-term="antibiotic" data-rx-definition="An antibiotic is a medicine used to treat bacterial infections. সহজ বাংলা: ব্যাকটেরিয়ার সংক্রমণের ওষুধ।">antibiotic?, it halts the growth of bacteria and also treats symptoms associated with respiratory tract infections such as excessive or no micturition, burning micturition, weakness?, vomiting?, and backache.

• Liver disorders

With hepatoprotective activity, it acts as an antioxidant and inhibits the oxidation process by preventing cell damage caused due to free radicals. It regenerates new cells and maintains proper liver functioning. It upgrades liver metabolism.

• Acidity

Yellow Fruit Nightshade nullifies acidic content and lowers its production. It provides relief from acid reflux and symptoms associated to acidity such as constipation?, heartburn, pain? in abdomen and flatulence.

• Insect bite

Yellow Fruit Nightshade has bacterial? infections. সহজ বাংলা: ব্যাকটেরিয়ার সংক্রমণের ওষুধ।" data-rx-term="antibiotic" data-rx-definition="An antibiotic is a medicine used to treat bacterial infections. সহজ বাংলা: ব্যাকটেরিয়ার সংক্রমণের ওষুধ।">antibiotic? property that eliminates microbes and also lowers allergic reaction with its antihistamine properties. It provides relief from pain? and infection?, or irritation, often causing pain, swelling?, heat, or redness. সহজ বাংলা: শরীরের প্রদাহ; ব্যথা, ফোলা বা লালভাব হতে পারে।" data-rx-term="inflammation" data-rx-definition="Inflammation is the body’s response to injury, infection, or irritation, often causing pain, swelling, heat, or redness. সহজ বাংলা: শরীরের প্রদাহ; ব্যথা, ফোলা বা লালভাব হতে পারে।">inflammation? and also lower fever?.

• Gum problems

It acts as bacterial? infections. সহজ বাংলা: ব্যাকটেরিয়ার সংক্রমণের ওষুধ।" data-rx-term="antibiotic" data-rx-definition="An antibiotic is a medicine used to treat bacterial infections. সহজ বাংলা: ব্যাকটেরিয়ার সংক্রমণের ওষুধ।">antibiotic? that helps to lower plaque? and destroys bacteria that causes plaque buildup. Plaque produces toxins which can irritate gum. infection?, or irritation, often causing pain?, swelling?, heat, or redness. সহজ বাংলা: শরীরের প্রদাহ; ব্যথা, ফোলা বা লালভাব হতে পারে।" data-rx-term="inflammation" data-rx-definition="Inflammation is the body’s response to injury, infection, or irritation, often causing pain, swelling, heat, or redness. সহজ বাংলা: শরীরের প্রদাহ; ব্যথা, ফোলা বা লালভাব হতে পারে।">Inflammation? of gums results in bleeding and puffiness. It also attaches gums to teeth and makes them strong and healthy.

Traditional uses

• The herb is useful for bronchial asthma, chest pain?, cough, cure vomiting?, hair fall, dropsy, scabies, itching and skin diseases.
• It is useful for healing wounds and cardiac diseases associated with edema?.
• The herb is also found to be helpful for lowering headaches and pain?, nausea?, or light sensitivity. সহজ বাংলা: বারবার হওয়া বিশেষ ধরনের মাথাব্যথা।" data-rx-term="migraine" data-rx-definition="Migraine is a recurring headache disorder often with throbbing pain, nausea, or light sensitivity. সহজ বাংলা: বারবার হওয়া বিশেষ ধরনের মাথাব্যথা।">migraine?.
• Plant decoction is used for treating gonorrhea.
• Roots are used as Ayurvedic tonic for lactating mothers.
• The paste of roots is used for treating hernia.
• Roots are used for flatulence and constipation?.
• Apply the leaves locally to provide relief from muscle or body pain?.
• For rheumatism, drink its juice mixed with black pepper.
• Berries juice is used for sore throat.
• Use smoked dried fruits in form of cigarettes for curing toothache and dental infection?.
• Seeds helps to treat dysmenorrheal and irregular menstruation.
• Seeds are beneficial in irregular menstruation and dysmenorrheal.
• Use the plant decoction for gonorrhea.
• Root poultice is used to treat piles.
• In Nepal root decoction is used twice a day for treating asthma, cough and chest pain?.
• Use Yellow Fruit Nightshade to treat worms, hoarseness of voice, cold, dysuria?, fever, spleen or stone in urinary bladder and enlargement of liver.
• Fumigate Yellow Fruit Nightshade to treat piles.
• To treat cough, use the root decoction with honey.
• Apply the root paste mixed with lemon to cure scorpion and snake bites.
• Flowers, fruits and stem provide relief from burning sensation in feet.
• Mix the juice with whey and ginger. This mixture is helpful in fevers.

Medicinal Uses

• Cough

Boil Yellow Fruit Nightshade plant or panchang (3-4 gm) in 200 ml water till the water is reduced to 50 ml. Filter it and drink it twice a day. It is an effective cure for chronic cough.

Or Mix 1-2 m of Yellow Fruit Nightshade juice with 1 tbsp. honey.

• Epilepsy

Put 2 drops of Yellow Fruit Nightshade leaves juice in each nostril empty stomach in the morning.

• Liver Swelling and infection

It acts as a great liver tonic. Use the decoction for liver infection and liver swelling.

• Migraine

Put 4 drops of Yellow Fruit Nightshade juice in each nostril to treat chronic migraine.

• Hair fall

Massage the scalp with Yellow Fruit Nightshade leaves juice in order to cure dandruff and hair fall.

• Toothache

Apply leaves juice (Yellow Fruit Nightshade) on tooth with the use of cotton.

• Abscess

Fry Yellow Fruit Nightshade in little Almond oil. Let it cool and apply it on affected parts.

• Headache

Fry handful of dried Yellow Fruit Nightshade leaves. Strain it and apply the lukewarm oil on the scalp.

• Joint Pain

Fry Yellow Fruit Nightshade leaves in Sesame oil. Apply the lukewarm oil on affected part once a day.

• Body odor

Apply the mixture of Yellow Fruit Nightshade leaves and sesame oil (while lukewarm) once a day.

• Dysuria

Intake 1/4 teaspoon of Yellow Fruit Nightshade juice (fruits) with a teaspoon of honey.

• Earache

Steam one cup of Yellow Fruit Nightshade pulp with sesame oil. Let it cool and then strain. Apply it as ear drop regularly.

• Leprosy

Heat the mixture of 1/4 cup of sesame oil and 1 cup pulp of Yellow Fruit Nightshade fruit. Apply on the affected part while it is lukewarm.

• Toothache

Inhale the smoke of burnt Yellow Fruit Nightshade seeds once a day.

• Swelling

Apply the paste of crushed fruits to swollen parts.

• Ascaris

Take the root decoction twice in a day.

• Respiratory diseases

Boil 10 g of Yellow Fruit Nightshade roots in a cup of water. Drink it once a day.

• Back pain

Take 30 ml of root decoction regularly.

• Cough

Prepare a decoction with 30 g dried seeds of Yellow Fruit Nightshade. Drink (10 ml) thrice a day.

• Rheumatism

Extract the juice of Yellow Fruit Nightshade leaves. Take this juice (30 ml) daily by adding 5 g of black pepper powder.

• Gum diseases

Boil the plant of Yellow Fruit Nightshade till the water is reduced to half. Use it for swish. For better results add Black mustard

• Menstrual disorders

Take 1/2 tsp. of Yellow Fruit Nightshade seeds with lukewarm water once a day.

Ayurvedic Properties

• Rasa: Katu (pungent), tikta (bitter)
• Veerya: Ushna (hot)
• Guna: tikshna (sharp), Laghu (light), rukshna (dry)
• Dosha: Pacifies kapha and vata
• Vipaka: Katu (pungent)

Precautions

• Avoid Yellow Fruit Nightshade at the time of pregnancy.
• Use the herb after consulting the health practitioner.

References