Turkey Berry

Solanum torvum

Other Names : Solanum torvum, prickly nightshade, shoo-shoo bush, wild eggplant, pea eggplant, pea aubergine, Devil's Fig, Plate Brush, kantɔsi, Kwahu Nsusua, Beduru, Tinvii tinvii, Kantosey (Ghana), kittily (Liberia), susumber, boo, terongan, tekokak, rimbang, berenjena cimarrona, berenjena de gallina, berenjena silvestre, tabacón, pendejera, tomatillo, bâtard balengène, zamorette, friega-platos, kudanekayi (Kannada: ಕುದನೆಕಾಯಿ), sundaikkai(Tamil: சுண்டைக்காய்), (Malayalam: ചുണ്ട ), thibbatu (Sinhala: තිබ්බටු), makhuea phuang (Thai: มะเขือพวง), suzume nasu (Japan: 雀茄子), jurubeba (Brazilian Portuguese), Ka Ran Sate Kay Thi, Susumber (Jamaica), Melongene-diable, Bellangere Batarde, Aubergine Pois (French), Pokastrauch, Teufels-Nachtschatten (German), Belangera Cimarrona, Terongan (Spanish), Jurubeba (Portugese), Morella della Giamaica (Italian), Suzume Nasubi (Japanese), Dian Qie Ze, Ci Quie, Shan Dan Quie (China), Soni, Katai, Kaisurisuri (Fiji), Sundai (India), Bhurat, Bhankatiya (Hindi), Shveta Brihati (Sanskrit), Marang (Marathi), Kaatuchunta, Anachunda, Malamchunda (Malayalam), Chitra, Kottuvastu (Telugu), Sundaikkai, Karimulli, Mulli (Tamil), Bhi-tita (Assamese) Ban Begun, Gotha Begun (Bangladesh), Byako (Arunachal Pradesh), Thibbatu (Sinhala), Tokrakur (Nepal), Terung Rajah Wang, Terung Belanda, Terung Mangas, Terung Belah, Terung Pipit (Malaysia), Top Na Aka (Cameroon), Kantosi, Ama Dweridi, Anona Ntroba, Kwahu Nsusuwa, Abedrow (Ghana), Igba-yinrin-elugun (Nigeria), Yakandroa (Ivory Coast), Brinjal Pea (South Africa), Prendejera (Cuba), Put Nhorng Deum (Cambodia), Ca Dai Hoa Trang, Ca Hoang, Ca Nong (Vietnam), Kazaw-Kha, Hkawhkam- Kaju (Myanmar), Ma Khuea Phuang, Ma Kae, Makhua Phuong (Thailand), Kheengz Faaz (Laos), Shu Qie Zi (Singapore),Takokak, Cepoka, Pokak, Terongan (Indonesia), Guis (Guatemala), Tandang-aso, Talampay, Talongon, Dagutung, Gambol (Philippines).Solanum torvum have also many botanical synonymes like : Solanum longiflorum, Solanum indicum, Solanum mayanum, Solanum stramonifolium, Solanum daturifolium, Solanum acanthifolium, but none of them or others are used nowadays.
Turkey Berries (Solanum torvum) can be found in Ghana, China, Thailand, The Caribbean, South America, Indonesia, Florida, Alabama, Brazil, Mexico, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea, Puerto Rico and other places in the world.
See also :

• Solanum torvum leaves
• Solanum torvum root

Special Precautions of Turkey Berry

• Ingestion of immature, environmentally stressed, or cultivar-specific Solanum species (particularly the potato) has been previously associated with gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms caused by solanaceous steroidal glycoalkaloids (SGAs).
• Cholinergic poisoning has been reported as a result of the consumption of Solanum torvum berries prepared in Jamaican dishes.

Health Benefits and Uses of Turkey Berry

Solanum torvum fruits, and also Solanum torvum leaves and roots have been used as a medicine for a long time, by many different cultures that it was brought to threw cultivation, from Central or South America. It is used in Ayurveda, Siddha (traditionan system of medicine in Sri Lanka) and Traditional Chinese Medicine, in the same way as very similar species - Solanum indicum, which is native to India and have been used in the region as a cure since ancient times. In many tropical countries, Solanum torvum is becoming nowadays less of a folk medicine, and more of an official herbal drug.

• Anaemia : Turkey berries contain lots of iron and so very good for treating anaemia. They stimulate the production of red blood cells. The berries can be used in soups and consumed daily to increase red blood cell production.
• Indigestion and diarrhoea : Turkey Berries are good for digestion and help to treat indigestion, stomachaches and diarrhoea. The berries are also capable of neutralising acid in the stomach making them important for healing gastric ulcers.
• Prevents intestinal worms : Regular intake of the berries can prevent the formation of worms in the intestine. Dried and powdered berries can be added to gravies and eaten.
• Diabetes : Turkey berries consumption helps in the treatment of diabetes. Add dried powdered leaves of the Turkey Berry plant to cooked berries to control diabetes. They are used to lower blood sugar.
• Prevention and healing of Colds and flu
• The berries also help with preventing and healing colds and flu. Use the berries to prepare soup and take.
• Protection from Cancer : Dr Paul Haider says “Turkey Berries are antibacterial, anti-fungal, and stops the excessive cell growth making it important for cancer. Studies show that extract of Turkey Berry can protect against lung cancer”.
• Treatment of Phlegm and mucus : Turkey berries can also help get rid of phlegm and mucus. Dry berries and make into powder, this will dry up the mucus, helps with asthma, coughing, lung inflammation etc.
• Prevention and treatment of Kidney disease : According to Dr Paul Haider, studies show that the berries can also help prevent and treat kidney disease and even reverse tubular necrosis and glomerular congestion, therefore making it important for treating kidney disease.
• Prevention of cardiovascular diseases and strokes : Additionally, the berries contain saponins, flavonoids, torvosides, alkaloids, glycosides, tannins, cholorogenome, etc. and are powerful antioxidants that prevent cardiovascular disease, strokes and cancer. The dried berries made into a powder helps to lower blood pressure and prevent heart attacks.
• Regulate menstruation : Turkey Berries help regulates menstruation and so help with regular menstrual periods.
• Prevention of Pains, redness and gout : The berries help flush out uric acid thus helping to prevent or reduce pain, redness and symptoms of gout.
• Aqueous extracts of turkey berry are lethal to mice by depressing the number of erythrocytes, leukocytes and platelets in their blood (Tapia and others 1996). A related chemical, cholecalciferol, is the active ingredient in a number of commercial rodenticides.
• Extracts of the plant are reported to be useful in the treatment of hyperactivity, colds and cough, pimples, skin diseases, and leprosy.
• Methyl caffeate, extracted from the fruit of S. torvum, shows an antidiabetic effect in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

References

• Badola and others 1993
• American Board of Veterinary Toxicology 2001
• Null, 2001
• CPR Environmental Education Centre, 2001
• Liogier, 1990
• Antihyperglycemic activity and antidiabetic effect of methylcaffeate isolated from Solanum torvum Swartz. fruit in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. Gopalsamy Rajiv Gandhi, Savarimuthu Ignacimuthu, Michael Gabriel Paulraj, Ponnusamy Sasikumar, European Journal of Pharmacology, Volume 670, Issues 2–3, 30 November 2011, Pages 623–631, doi:10.1016/j.ejphar.2011.09.159
• Susumber berries: Unexpected cause of cholinergic poisoning. Ariel Antezana, Johanne Policard, Harini Sarva, and George Vas. Neurol Clin Pract December 2012 vol. 2 no. 4 362-363 doi:10.1212/CPJ.0b013e31826af1f6
• Solanaceous steroidal glycoalkaloids and poisoning by Solanum torvum, the normally edible susumber berry. Smith SW, Giesbrecht E, Thompson M, Nelson LS, Hoffman RS. Toxicon. 2008 Nov;52(6):667-76 doi:10.1016/j.toxicon.2008.07.016