Phytochemistry and Pharmacological Studies on Solanum torvum Swartz.

The botany, traditional medicinal uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of S. torvum Sw. belonging to family Solanaceae have been reviewed by evaluating information on the Internet (using Google Scholar, CABAbstracts, Blackwell synergy, Elsevier, Cambridge University Press, JSTOR, Nature Publishing and Science online) and in libraries. Traditional medicinal uses of S. torvum were recorded in the Ayurveda and Chinese pharmacopeia. The present review study covered chemical constituents and pharmacological properties of S. torvum as well as its morphology. This has included therapeutic effects of the whole plant and its extracts, fractions and isolated compounds. Antimicrobial, anti-ulcerogenic, antiviral, anti-platelet aggregation, antioxidant, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, systolic blood-pressure modification, and cytotoxic activities have all been described. Previous research studies carried out using different in-vitro and in-vivo bioassay techniques supported the claims of the therapeutic utility of the species.

Acute and subacute toxicities of hydroethanolic extract of the ripe fruits of solatium torvum sw. (solanaceae).

Acute and subacute toxicity of the hydro-ethanolic extract of the ripe fruit of Solanum torvum Sw. was studied by force-feeding albino Wistar rats following the European Community and WHO toxicity guidelines. The results of the acute toxicity study indicated the median lethal dose (LD50; as I9g/kg body weight after 48 hours of treatment, and the significant variation (P < 0.05) of serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total proteins (TP), total bilirubin (TBil), and creatinine at doses of 16–20g/kg body weight. These results also indicated significant variation of the liver alkaline phosphatase (ALP), AST, ALT, TP, glutathione (GSH), and malondialdehyde (MDA) at higher doses. The results of the subacute toxicity study showed significant variation in the body weight, but no modification (P < 0.05) of blood and liver parameters compared to the control group. In both acute and subacute toxicity, histological studies revealed that there were no major pathological changes of the liver and kidneys in treated rats. The results show that this extract is not highly toxic, but consumption of higher doses beyond 16g/kg could cause liver injury. Moderate consumption of small doses up to Ig/kg twice a week for 6 weeks appeared safe.