PDR for Herbal Medicines

102 /BLACK NIGHTSHADE

Characteristics: The plant has a musk-like odor when

wilting and is poisonous.

Habitat: The plant is found worldwide.

Production: Black Nightshade is the herb of Solanum

nigrum picked in uncultivated regions (the wild) and dried in

the open air.

Not to be Confused With: Black Nightshade was often called

Petty (a corruption of "petit") Morel, to distinguish it from

the Deadly Nightshade, or Great Morel, as it is also

poisonous but apparently less so.

Other Names: Garden Nightshade, Petty Morel, Poisonberry

ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY

COMPOUNDS

Steroid alkaloid glycosides: in the foliage and in unripe fruits

(0-2.0%). Ripe fruits are, as a rule, free of alkaloids.

Chief alkaloids: solasonine, solamargine, P-solamargine

Steroid saponins: with tigogenin as an aglycone

EFFECTS

According to folk medicine, the herb should work as an

antispasmodic, pain reliever, sedative and narcotic; however,

there are no studies available. In animal experiments, the

steroid alkaloid glycosides have a local anesthetic effect,

increase sleep duration and significantly inhibit the occur-

rence of acetlysalicylic acid-induced stomach ulcers. The

effect is attributed to the inhibition of pepsin and hydrochlo-

ric acid secretion.

INDICATIONS AND USAGE

Unproven Uses: Internally, Black Nightshade is used for

gastric irritation, cramps and whooping cough. Externally,

the herb is used for psoriasis, hemorrhoids, abscesses,

eczema and bruising.

Chinese Medicine: Black Nightshade is used for furuncles,

carbuncles, abscesses, erysipelas, sprains, strains, contusions,

chronic bronchitis and acute hepatitis.

Indian Medicine: Black Nightshade is used for rheumatic

pain, coughs, asthma, bronchitis, wounds, swellings, ulcers,

flatulence, dyspeptic complaints, vomiting, dysuria, earache,

hiccups, eye disease, leprosy and skin diseases.

Homeopathic Uses: Black Nightshade is used for cerebral

and meningeal irritation.

PRECAUTIONS AND ADVERSE REACTIONS
No health hazards or side effects are known in conjunction
with the proper administration of designated therapeutic
dosages.

PDR FOR HERBAL MEDICINES

OVERDOSAGE

Overdoses resulting from the intake of large quantities of

fresh foliage with high alkaloid content could lead to

gastrointestinal signs of irritation, characterized by queas-

iness, vomiting, headache and, in rare cases, mydriasis.

DOSAGE

Mode of Administration: The herb is available as a ground

drug, tincture and liquid extract for internal and external use.

Preparation: To prepare a rinse or moist compress, add a

handful of drug to 1 liter of water and boil for 10 minutes. A

tincture is prepared in a ratio of 1:1 with 95% ethanol.

Daily Dosage: Externally, use as a compress or rinse.

Internally, the dose is 10 drops of liquid extract 2 to 3 times

daily, or 5 to 10 gm of tincture daily.

Homeopathic Dosage: 5 drops, 1 tablet or 10 globules every

30 to 60 minutes (acute) or 1 to 3 times daily (chronic);

parenterally: 1 to 2 ml sc; acute, 3 times daily; chronic: once

a day (HAB34)

LITERATURE

Frohne D, Pfander HJ, Giftpflanzen - Ein Handbuch fur

Apotheker, Toxikologen und Biologen, 4. Aufl., Wiss. Verlags-

Ges. Stuttgart 1997.

Hansel R, Keller K, Rimpler H, Schneider G (Hrsg.), Hagers

Handbuch der Pharmazeutischen Praxis, 5. Aufl., Bde 4-6

(Drogen): Springer Verlag Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, 1992-

1994.

Johnson R, Lee JS, Ryan CA, Regulation of expression of a

wound-inducible tomato inhibitor I gene in transgenic

nightshade plants. Plant Mol Biol, 45:349-56, 1990 Mar.

Lewin L, Gifte und Vergiftungen, 6. Aufl., Nachdruck, Haug

Verlag, Heidelberg 1992.

Madaus G, Lehrbuch der Biologischen Arzneimittel, Bde 1-3,

Nachdruck, Georg Olms Verlag Hildesheim 1979.

Moundipa PF, Domngang FM, Effect of the leafy vegetable

Solanum nigrum on the activities of some liver drug-

metabolizing enzymes after aflatoxin Bl treatment in female

rats. Br J Nutr, 45:81-91, 1991 Jan.

Ridout CL et al., PA 44:732. 1989.

Roth L, Daunderer M, Kormann K, Giftpflanzen, Pflanzengifte,

4. Aufl., Ecomed Fachverlag Landsberg Lech 1993.
   Schreiber K, Kulturpflanze 11:451-501. 1963.
   Sultana S, Perwaiz S, Iqbal M, Athar M, Crude extracts of
   hepatoprotective plants Solanum nigrum and Cichorium intybus
   inhibit free radical-mediated DNA damage. J Ethnopharmacol,
   45:189-92, 1995 Mar.
   Teuscher E, Biogene Arzneimittel, 5. Aufl., Wiss. Verlagsges.
   Stuttgart 1997.