POISONOUS PARTS
Whole plant, especially the immature fruits.3,4
TOXICITY
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Toxic Constituents
Steroidal alkaloids such as solasonine, solamargine and solanine.3,5
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Toxic Dose
20 mg solanine can be toxic.5,6
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Mechanism
Solasonine and solamargine bind to sterols, disrupt cell membrane integrity and cause tissue damage. Solanine has been reported to interfere with cholinesterase function. However, the evidence of cholinergic toxidrome in S. capsicoides poisoning is questionable.4,7,8
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Poisoning Features
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, dizziness, delirium, slurring of speech and ataxia. Respiratory failure in severe cases.9–11
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Poisoning Events
Poisoning due to Solanum species with steroidal alkaloids are uncommon. Previous cases were mostly a result of ingestion of its berries due to misidentification as edible species, with clinical severity being dose-dependent. Most patients had mild symptoms. In over 200 incidents reported to the Berlin Toxicological Information Centre, ingestion of Black nightshade, a steroidal alkaloid-containing species from the genus Solanum, only resulted in mild symptoms in a few patients.9,11
CLINICAL MANAGEMENT
Supportive treatment.
IDENTIFICATION FEATURES
Herbs or subshrubs, 0.5–1 m tall. Stems and branches with pale yellow straight prickles. Leaves simple; leaf blades 5–13 × 4–12 cm, pubescent adaxially, prickly along veins on both surfaces. Cymes 1–4‑flowered. Corolla white, greenish at base; limb deeply 5‑lobed, lobes about 10 × 4 mm; anthers tapering to a slender subulate apex. Berries 3.5–6 cm in diameter, orange‑red when ripe.12
MEDICINAL USES
Whole plant used in TCM: suppress cough and reduce wheezing, dissipate stasis and relieve pain. Recommended dose: 3–6 g.3,13
LABORATORY ANALYSIS
Solasonine, solamargine and solanine can be detected by LC-MS/MS.14,15
