Solanum trilobatum is an herb covered by thorn, even on its leaves. It is also known as purple fruited pea eggplant, while its Botanical name is Solanum trilobatum. It has been used in Siddha medicine for various home remedies. In India, it’s also used to make delicious dish. To get any health benefits of Solanum trilobatum, its thorn has to be cleaned first because it is believed to be mildly toxic.

Nutrient value of Solanum trilobatum

Because it’s enormous health benefits of Solanum trilobatum, the plant contains a lot of nutrient value such as sugar, protein, alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, cardiac glycoside, terpenoids and lipids. Other than that, there are moisture, protein, carbohydrate, ash and fiber. The moisture contain similar to Health Benefits of Mulberry Fruit.  It’s fruit content lower lever of fiber but promising sources of essential micro nutrients and  high blood pressure treatment

These are the moisture and nutrient profile of Solanum trilobatum compositions (g/100g)

• Moisture 80/0.56
• Protein 5.5/0.89
• Carbohydrate 25/0.78
• Ash 18.6/0.12
• Fiber 3.3/0.55

While in every 100g dry weight Solanum trilobatum fruit, there is some mineral element such as (estimated quantity in ash mg/100mg)

• Sodium 28/0.06
• Potassium 0.73/0.04
• Phosphorus 0.02/0.01
• Zinc BDL
• Calcium 60/0.03
• Magnesium 194/0.05
• Iron 0.34/0.08

The whole plant basically can be used and has several health benefits. It’s leaves, stem, flowers and fruit has different medicinal purpose. People usually store in powder form to make it easier to use later. Either cooking or medicine, there are several things we need to know about this special tropical herbal plant.

1. Treat respiratory problem – Squeezed out juice from it’s leaves can help many lung disorder such as asthma or difficulty of breathing because of cough or phlegm. Solanum trilobatum could bring relieve as much as the well known benefits of turmeric for lungs
2. Help digestion – Consuming its leaves and fruit juice mixed with warm water has proven to be good for constipation and indigestion
3. Prevent fever and cold – It’s most common used as remedy for cough and cold in rural area in India. Mixed it well with honey to reduce the heat of the leave and all symptoms of flu will go away
4. Cure dullness of hearing or as an eardrop – Besides oral remedies, its juice can also be used as an ear drop to cure dullness of hearing by putting 2 drops in each ear at night
5. Treat mental ability – Boiling its flower can be used to improve mental ability or as brain enhancer
6. Rheumatism – Powdered dried fruit of Solanum trilobatum can be used to relieve pain in rheumatism.
7. Relieve Gastric complain and stomach pain – Excessive gas and abdominal pain can be relieved by crushing its leaves and black pepper together
8. respiratory disease – It is commonly known to be used as steroidal drug production, rejuvenator, or to help respiratory disease.
9. Solanum trilobatum expected to have high portion of protein.

Cautions of Solanum trilobatum

All of these various recipe for in-day food or medicine intake would only matter if we have the right knowledge and proportion or recommendation intake. Being aware that herbs mostly have side effect is very important to avoid wrong treatment and suffered from unnecessary side effects.

Especially during pregnancy, it is best to seek medical advice before aiming to gain health benefits of Solanum trilobatum. Excessive intake could cause hemochromatosis. Benefits from healthy eating and proper intake of any herbs plant could cure just anything