Black Nightshade

Solanum nigrum

Other Names : Crève-Chien, Garden Nightshade, Herbe à Gale, Herbe aux Magiciens, Herbe Maure, Houndsberry, Kakamachi, Kakmachi, Long Kui, Makoi, Morelle Noire, Myrtille de Jardin, Petty Morel, Poisonberry, Raisin de Loup, Solanum nigrum, Tomate du Diable, Tue-Chien, Yerba Mora, zwarte Nachschade
Black nightshade is a plant. Originally, black nightshade was called “petit (small) morel” to distinguish it from the more poisonous species, deadly nightshade, that is known as “great morel.” You may hear black nightshade mistakenly referred to as “petty” morel, instead of the correct term, “petit” moral. People use the whole black nightshade plant including leaves, fruit, and root to make medicine.

Special Precautions of Black Nightshade

• Black nightshade is UNSAFE to take by mouth. It contains a toxic chemical called solanin. At lower doses, it can cause nausea, vomiting, headache, and other side effects. At higher doses, it can cause severe poisoning. Signs of poisoning include irregular heartbeat, trouble breathing, dizziness, drowsiness, twitching of the arms and legs, cramps, diarrhea, paralysis, coma, and death.
• There isn’t enough information to know whether it is safe to apply black nightshade directly to the skin.
• Pregnancy and breast-feeding: It’s UNSAFE to take black nightshade if you are pregnant. It might cause birth defects.

Benefits and uses of Black Nightshade are

Despite serious safety concerns, S. nigrum is a widely used plant in oriental medicine where it is considered to be antitumorigenic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, diuretic, and antipyretic.

• black nightshade has been used for stomach irritation, cramps, spasms, pain, and nervousness.
• It is an important ingredient in traditional Indian medicines. Infusions are used in dysentery, stomach complaints, and fever.
• The juice of the plant is used on ulcers and other skin diseases
• The fruits are used as a tonic, laxative, appetite stimulant, and for treating asthma and "excessive thirst.
• Traditionally the plant was used to treat tuberculosis.
• It is known as peddakasha pandla koora in the Telangana region. This plant's leaves are used to treat mouth ulcers that happen during winter periods of Tamil Nadu, India. It is known as manathakkali keerai in Tamil Nadu and kaage soppu in Karnataka, and apart from its use as a home remedy for mouth ulcers, is used in cooking like spinach.
• In North India, the boiled extracts of leaves and berries are also used to alleviate liver-related ailments, including jaundice.
• In Assam, the juice from its roots is used against asthma and whooping cough.
• It is used topically as a treatment for herpes zoster, psoriasis, hemorrhoids, and deep skin infections (abscesses). The bruised, fresh leaves are put on the skin to treat swelling (inflammation), burns, and ulcers.
• Chinese experiments confirm that the plant inhibits growth of cervical carcinoma in mice

References

• Jain, S.K., (1968) Medicinal Plants, Thomson Press (India) Ltd., pp133-134.
• Kaushik, D., Jogpal1, V., Kaushik, P., Lal, S., Saneja, A., Sharma, C., Aneja, K.R., Evaluation of activities of Solanum nigrum fruit extract Archives of Applied Science Research; 2009, 1 (1): 43-50
• Traditional Phytotherapy among the Nath People of Assam http://www.krepublishers.com/02-Journals/S-EM/EM-02-0-000-08-Web/EM-02-1-000-08-Abst-PDF/EM-02-1-039-08-030-Sikdar-M/EM-02-1-039-08-030-Sikdar-M-Tt.pdf
• Jain, R, Sharma, A, Gupta, S, Sarethy, I.P., Gabrani, R., "Solanum nigrum: current perspectives on therapeutic properties." Altern Med Rev. 2011 Mar;16(1):78-85 http://www.altmedrev.com/publications/16/1/78.pdf
• Jian, L., Qingwang, L., Tao, F., Kun, L., (2008) Aqueous extract of Solanum nigrum inhibit growth of cervical carcinoma (U14) via modulating immune response of tumor bearing mice and inducing apoptosis of tumor cells. Fitoterapia, 79(7, 8):548-556.
• Wu, X. F.; Shi, H. P.; Tsang, P; Keung, E (2008). "Induction and in vitro culture of hairy roots of Solanum nigrum L. Var. Pauciflorum Liou and its solasodine production". Fen zi xi bao sheng wu xue bao = Journal of molecular cell biology / Zhongguo xi bao sheng wu xue xue hui zhu ban. 41 (3): 183–91. PMID 18630597.