Botanical Name

Solanum virginianum L.

Family

Solanaceae.

Synonyms

Solanum xanthocarpum Schrad. & J.C.Wendl.; Solanum virginicum L.; Solanum surattense Burm. f.

Regional Name

English : Febrifuge plant, Hindi : Katai, Katali, Ringani, Bhatakataiya, Choti kateli, Sanskrit : Vyaghri, Nidigdhika, Ksudra, Kantakarika, Dhavani, Nidigdha, Dusparsa, Urdu : Katai khurd,. Bhat Khattiya, kateli, Punjabi : Kandiari, Gujrati : Bharingani,  Marathi : Bhauringani, Kataringani, Assamese : Katvaedana, Kantakar, Bengali : Kantakari, Kannada : Nelagulla, Kiragulla, Kashmiri : Kath, Malayalam : Kantakari chunda, Oriya : Bhejibaugana, Ankarati, Chakada Bhoji, Tamil : Kandangatri, Kandankatri, Kandanghathiri, Telugu : Nelamulaka, Pinnamulaka, Mulaka, Chinnamulaka, Vakudu

Part Used

Whole Plant.

Description

Kantakari is a perennial, very prickly diffused herb of waste land, found throughout India. Root-10-45 cm long, few mm to two cm in diameter, almost cylindrical and tapering, bearing a number of fine longitudinal and few transverse wrinkles with occasional scars or a few lenticels and small rootlets, transversely smoothened surface shows a thin bark and wide compact cylinder of wood, fracture, short, taste, bitter.

Phytoconstituents

Main chemical constituents of Kantakari are Glucoalkaloids and sterols. It contains B-Carotene, Diosgenin, Sitosterol, Carpesterol, Solasodine, Solamargine, B- Solamargine, Solasonine, Solasodino-L-Rhamnosy-B-D-Glucoside (Solasurine), Solanocarpidine, Solanocarpine (Solanine-S), Tomatidienol, fatty acid, isochlorogenic acid, neochronogenic acid, chronogenic acid, caffeic acid, quercetin, apigenin, histamine and acetylcholine.

Ayurvedic Properties

Rasa : Katu, Tikta, Guna : Laghu, Ruksa, Vipaka : Katu, Virya : Usna, Karma : Sothahara, Dipana, Pacana, Amadosanasaka, Kanthya.

Ayurvedic Applications

Aruci, Svasa, Jvara, Kasa, Pinasa, Svarabheda, Parsvasula.

Medicinal Uses

It is used in the treatment of cough, cold, asthma, respiratory tract infections, tastelessness, fever, Osteoarthritis, itching, dyspnoea, anorexia, skin diseases, worm infestation and cardiac disorders. Its seeds are used in treating amenorrhea, painful delivery, treating irregular menstruation and dysmenorrheal in females.