| |
Herb Information
Name: Black Nightshade |
Biological
Name: Solanum nigrum, Solanum rubrum, Solanum incertum |
Other
Names: Garden Nightshade, Makoy, Kakamachi, Black nightshade, deadly nightshade, poisonberry
Manal thakkali
|
Description:
This herb is found throughout India, US, Southern Canada and many parts of the world. Its erect, angular, branching stem grows 1 to 2 feet high and may be glabrous or covered with inward- bent hairs. The leaves are alternate, dark green, ovate, and wavy-toothed or nearly entire. Drooping, lateral, umbel-like clusters of white or pale violet flowers appear from July to October. The fruit is a many-seeded, pea-sized, purple or black berry.
|
Parts
Used: Fruit, leaf |
Medicinal
Properties
Action
Leaf: alternative, sedative, diaphoretic, diuretic, hydragogue, expectorant.
Fruit-alterative, tonic, diuretic
Uses
edema
fever and cough
gonorrhea
heart disease (accompanied by leg and foot swelling)
hemorrhoids
inflammatory swellings
enlarged liver
skin diseases
enlarged spleen
painful, swollen testicles
Taken internally in very small amounts, the leaves strongly promote perspiration and purge the bowels the next day. The juice of the fresh herb is sometimes used for fever and to allay pain. In large doses, black nightshade can cause serious, but usually not fatal, poisoning. Externally, the juice or an ointment prepared from the leaves can be used for
skin problems and tumors. The berries are poisonous, but boiling apparently destroys the toxic substances and makes them usable for preserves, jams, and pies.
This herb is used for skin
diseases, rheumatism, and gout. Juice of the herb is given in chronic
enlargement of the liver. It can cure ear, and eye diseases. It is
sometimes prescribed to "remove the effect of old age."
|
Dosage:
Powder, extract, leaves, poultice, syrup, decoction |
Safety:
Caution: Berries may be poisonous for some people. In large doses, black nightshade can cause serious, but usually not fatal, poisoning.
Do not take this herb internally except under the supervision of a qualified professional.
NOT RECOMMENDED.
|
[Look For Another Herb][HolisticOnLine Home]
HolisticOnLine is developed and maintained
by International Cyber Business
Services, Inc.
Send mail to: info@holisticonline.com with
questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 1998-2000
International Cyber Business Services, Inc. Terms of Use
|