Solanum paniculatum
Encyclopedia
Solanum paniculatum, commonly known as Jurubeba, is a nightshade
common in almost all of Brazil
. It is used as a medicinal plant
and has a bitter taste.
An infusion
of its stem
and its root
in sugar cane alcohol (cachaça
) is popularly used as an apéritif
or a digestif.
Traditional medicine
recommends using a tea
as a cardiovascular tonic; for stimulating appetite, liver
, and spleen
; against digestive
problems, and for its diuretic
, hypoglycemic, antianemic, febrifugal, and cicatrizant
properties. It has also been used for treating infections of the skin, like acne
.
s of other Solanum taxa.
Two varieties were once recognized, but they are not generally considered valid anmyore:
Similar nightshade species that were once included with S. paniculatum but are now considered distinct are:
Solanum
Solanum, the nightshades, horsenettles and relatives, is a large and diverse genus of annual and perennial plants. They grow as forbs, vines, subshrubs, shrubs, and small trees, and often have attractive fruit and flowers. Many formerly independent genera like Lycopersicon or Cyphomandra are...
common in almost all of Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. It is used as a medicinal plant
Herbalism
Herbalism is a traditional medicinal or folk medicine practice based on the use of plants and plant extracts. Herbalism is also known as botanical medicine, medical herbalism, herbal medicine, herbology, herblore, and phytotherapy...
and has a bitter taste.
An infusion
Infusion
An infusion is the outcome of steeping plants with desired chemical compounds or flavors in water or oil.-History:The first recorded use of essential oils was in the 10th or 11th century by the Persian polymath Avicenna, possibly in The Canon of Medicine.-Preparation techniques:An infusion is very...
of its stem
Plant stem
A stem is one of two main structural axes of a vascular plant. The stem is normally divided into nodes and internodes, the nodes hold buds which grow into one or more leaves, inflorescence , conifer cones, roots, other stems etc. The internodes distance one node from another...
and its root
Root
In vascular plants, the root is the organ of a plant that typically lies below the surface of the soil. This is not always the case, however, since a root can also be aerial or aerating . Furthermore, a stem normally occurring below ground is not exceptional either...
in sugar cane alcohol (cachaça
Cachaça
Cachaça is a liquor made from fermented sugarcane.It is the most popular distilled alcoholic beverage in Brazil. It is also known as aguardente, pinga, caninha and many other names...
) is popularly used as an apéritif
Aperitif
Apéritifs and digestifs are alcoholic drinks that are normally served with meals.-Apéritifs:An apéritif is usually served before a meal to stimulate the appetite. This contrasts with digestifs, which are served after a meal for the purpose of aiding digestion...
or a digestif.
Traditional medicine
Traditional medicine
Traditional medicine comprises unscientific knowledge systems that developed over generations within various societies before the era of modern medicine...
recommends using a tea
Tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
as a cardiovascular tonic; for stimulating appetite, liver
Liver
The liver is a vital organ present in vertebrates and some other animals. It has a wide range of functions, including detoxification, protein synthesis, and production of biochemicals necessary for digestion...
, and spleen
Spleen
The spleen is an organ found in virtually all vertebrate animals with important roles in regard to red blood cells and the immune system. In humans, it is located in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen. It removes old red blood cells and holds a reserve of blood in case of hemorrhagic shock...
; against digestive
Digestion
Digestion is the mechanical and chemical breakdown of food into smaller components that are more easily absorbed into a blood stream, for instance. Digestion is a form of catabolism: a breakdown of large food molecules to smaller ones....
problems, and for its diuretic
Diuretic
A diuretic provides a means of forced diuresis which elevates the rate of urination. There are several categories of diuretics. All diuretics increase the excretion of water from bodies, although each class does so in a distinct way.- Medical uses :...
, hypoglycemic, antianemic, febrifugal, and cicatrizant
Cicatrizant
A cicatrizant is the term used to describe a product that promotes healing through the formation of scar tissue.Sandalwood is a natural cicatrizant.It derives its name from the word "cicatrix", which is another word for "scar"....
properties. It has also been used for treating infections of the skin, like acne
Acne
Acne is a general term used for acneiform eruptions. It is usually used as a synonym for acne vulgaris, but may also refer to:*Acne aestivalis*Acne conglobata*Acne cosmetica*Acne fulminans*Acne keloidalis nuchae*Acne mechanica...
.
Synonyms
Well-known in its native range, this species has been described time and again under different now-invalid names. Some of these are homonymHomonym
In linguistics, a homonym is, in the strict sense, one of a group of words that often but not necessarily share the same spelling and the same pronunciation but have different meanings...
s of other Solanum taxa.
- Solanum belfort Vand.
- Solanum belfortianum Dunal
- Solanum botelhianum Dunal (unjustified emendation)
- Solanum botelho Vand.
- Solanum chloroleucum Dunal
- Solanum dictyoticum Roem. & Schult.
- Solanum jubeba Vell.
- Solanum macronema Sendtn.
- Solanum manoelii Moric.
- Solanum reticulatum Willd. ex Roem. & Schult.
- Solanum reticulatum of de JussieuAntoine Laurent de JussieuAntoine Laurent de Jussieu was a French botanist, notable as the first to propose a natural classification of flowering plants; much of his system remains in use today.-Life:...
from DunalMichel Félix DunalMichel Felix Dunal was a French botanist. He was professor of botany in Montpellier, France. He held the chair of Medical Natural History from 1816 to 1819...
in de CandolleA. P. de CandolleAugustin Pyramus de Candolle also spelled Augustin Pyrame de Candolle was a Swiss botanist. René Louiche Desfontaines launched Candolle's botanical career by recommending him at an herbarium...
is S. vellozianum. - Solanum reticulatum of Dunal in PoiretJean Louis Marie PoiretJean Louis Marie Poiret was a French clergyman, botanist and explorer.From 1785 to 1786 he was sent by Louis XVI to Algeria to study the flora...
is S. crotonoides as described by LamarckJean-Baptiste LamarckJean-Baptiste Pierre Antoine de Monet, Chevalier de la Marck , often known simply as Lamarck, was a French naturalist...
- Solanum rothelianum Steud. (lapsusLapsusA lapsus is an involuntary mistake made while writing or speaking. According to Freud's early psychoanalytic theory, a lapsus represents a missed deed that hides an unconscious desire....
)
- Solanum rothelianum Steud. (lapsus
Two varieties were once recognized, but they are not generally considered valid anmyore:
- Solanum paniculatum var. ellipticum Chodat
- Not to be confused with S. ellipticumSolanum ellipticumSolanum ellipticum is known as Potato Bush and under the more ambiguous name of "bush tomato". The Arrernte name of merne awele-awele might refer to this species, and/or to the similar S. quadriloculatum...
, described by BrownRobert Brown (botanist)Robert Brown was a Scottish botanist and palaeobotanist who made important contributions to botany largely through his pioneering use of the microscope...
. The S. ellipticum of de Conceição VellozoJosé Mariano de Conceição VellozoJosé Mariano de Conceição Vellozo was a Brazilian botanist who catalogued specimens, for example: Cedrela fissilis Vell. in Florae Fluminensis...
refers to S. cylindricum.- Solanum paniculatum var. integrifolium Dunal
- Not to be confused with the S. integrifolium of Poiret, which refers to S. aethiopicumSolanum aethiopicumEthiopian Eggplant , nakati or Solanum aethiopicum is a fruiting plant of the genus Solanum mainly found in Asia and Tropical Africa. It is also known as Mock Tomato, Garden Eggs and Ethiopian Nightshade...
Similar nightshade species that were once included with S. paniculatum but are now considered distinct are:
- Solanum pseudoauriculatum (as f. flavescens or ssp. pseudoauriculatum)
- Solanum acutilobum (as var. acutilobum)
- Solanum albidumSolanum albidumSolanum albidum is a species of nightshade that is native to western South America, from southern Ecuador to northern Argentina, and grows well at mid elevations in the Andes. Common names include Lumo Huaritar and Lavaplato Plateado . It can be either a shrub or small tree. The plant has dull...
Dunal (as var. chulumani)