An herb entry from the Ancient Herbs and Modern Herbs book by James K. Sayre, Copyright, 2001. All rights reserved.

Nightshade, Bittersweet - Solanum dulcamara - family: Solanaceae (Nightshade Family).

This is a climbing perennial plant that grows to about ten feet high. It has oval-to-heart-shaped dark green leaves and in the summer it produces clusters (panicles) of small purple-petaled star-shaped flowers with yellow centers (anthers). The flowers are followed by berries which ripen to a bright red. Each berry contains many yellowish seeds. This perennial plant is commonly seen in untended gardens. Traditional European folk use of leaves and small stems as a poultice for healing wounds and sores, including felons (infections of the fingernails). The green parts and the berries of this plant contain solanine, which is a complex bitter glycosidic alkaloid, C45H73NO15, and which is quite toxic. Solanine is also found in the green parts of other members of the Nightshade family including the potato and the tomato. Note: its berries are toxic and should not be eaten. Note: do not take any parts of this plant internally. Listed in the United States Pharmacopoeias from 1820 to 1900. Native to Europe, Asia and North Africa. Naturalized in eastern North America. Naturalized in California.

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Web page last updated on 22 May 2003.