Solanum trilobatum – Herb garden

Solanum trilobatum is a medicinal herb, much-branched, thorny, straggling shrub, or climbing plant. It is a bright green perennial herb, woody at the base, 2–3 m in height. The leaves are deltoid or triangular, 3-5-lobed, 2-7 cm long, 1-4 cm wide, glabrous or slightly stellate, with a few prickles along the petiole and midrib. It has purplish-blue flowers. Fruits are small globose, reddish to black is about 1cm in diameter and contain numerous tiny seeds.

Scientific classification

Family: Solanaceae
Genus: Solanum
Species: S. trilobatum

Scientific Name: Solanum trilobatum Linn.
Common Names:  Climbing Brinjal, Purple Fruited Pea Eggplant, Thai nightshade.
Vernacular names:
Marathi: Mothiringnee, Thoodalam.
Tamil: Tutuvaḷai(தூதுவளை), Nittidam, Sandunayattan, Surai.
Malayalam: tutavalam, putharichunda, putricunta, puttacunta, tudavalam
Telugu: alarkapatramu, kondavuchinta, mullamusti.
Kannada: Kakamunji, Ambusondeballi.
Oriya: Bryhoti.
Hindi: Kantakaari-lataa.
Sanskrit: Achuda, Agnidamani, Agnidamini, Alarka, Vallikantakarika.

How to grow and maintain Solanum trilobatum

Light

It thrives well in bright light, and some direct sunlight but not too much direct sunlight. A sunny windowsill will be an ideal position for these plants.

Soil

It grows best in well-drained, any potting mix.

Water

Water your plant regularly during the growing season and always keep the soil evenly moist but never allow your plant to sit in water. Allow the top of the soil to slightly dry out before watering again.

Fertilizer

Fertilize every two weeks during the growing season, from spring through summer with a balanced liquid fertilizer diluted by half. Do not fertilize during the winter.

Propagation

Purple Fruited Pea Eggplant can be easily propagated by seed. Gather seeds from ripe fruits and sow in early spring.

Pests and Diseases

It has no serious pest or disease problems. Purple Fruited Pea Eggplant is sometimes infested by aphids, whiteflies, or spider mites.

Benefits of Solanum trilobatum

• The fruit and leaves are edible. The leaves are cooked and eaten as a vegetable. The plant is full of thorns, including the leaves. It is important to remove these thorns before cooking. The seeds are used as a vermifuge.
• The leaves and flowers are commonly used for treating cold, cough, and acute asthma. The leaf juice is drunk as a remedy for fever.
• Fruits of this plant are used for treating cough, hiccups, and fatigue. It is also used for improving the quality of semen.
• The bitter roots and young shoots have been given in the form of an electuary, a decoction or a powder for consumption.
• It is mainly used for asthma, chronic febrile affections, and difficult parturition.
• It is used in the treatment of vomiting of blood, rheumatism, several kinds of leprosy, to help reduce blood glucose levels, bilious matter, and phlegm.
• In Ayurveda, this herb is popularly used for treating sinus, lung diseases, and even for the treatment of tuberculosis.
• It is antibacterial, antifungal, antimitotic, antioxidant, and antitumor.
• An extract of the leaves has shown good antimicrobial activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.
• Purple Fruited Pea Eggplant is very useful for increasing the production of blood in the body and it also increases blood circulation effectively.
• It is considered very good medicine for getting strength and energy in the body. The natural steroids present in this herb give strength and stamina to the human being. The tonic made with the extracts of this herb helps to maintain very good health.
• It prevents throat infection and helps to reduce heat and gas-related disorders in the human body.

How to consume

• Consuming its leaf juice with honey is one of the best treatments for many types of respiratory problems like carcinoma, dyspnoea, and anorexia
• Climbing Brinjal leaves with licorice, galangal, dried ginger mix 10 gm of each content in 1 liter of water and boil it till it becomes ¼ content. Take 50 ml of this soup 3 times a day will dissolve the throat muscle.
• The leaves contain Sugar, Protein, Alkaloids, Flavonoids, Saponins, Tannins, Cardiac glycoside, Terpenoids, Lipids.