Bittersweet Nightshade

Generic name: Solanum Dulcamara L.
Brand names: Bitter Nightshade, Bittersweet, Bittersweet Nightshade, Blue Nightshade, Deadly Nightshade, Dulcamara, Fellen, Felonwort, Fever Twig, Mortal, Scarlet Berry, Snake Berry, Staff Vine, Violet-bloom, Woody Nightshade

Usage of Bittersweet Nightshade

Diabetes

Animal data

Limited studies in rodents have evaluated the antihyperglycemic effects of methanol bittersweet plant extracts, with equivocal findings.Nwachukwu 2010, Sabudak 2015 One study reported high mortality rates.Sabudak 2015

Clinical data

Research reveals no clinical data regarding the use of bittersweet in diabetes.

Bittersweet Nightshade side effects

Dilated pupils and GI effects (diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting) have been reported.Duke 2003

Before taking Bittersweet Nightshade

Contraindicated in pregnancy and during lactation.Duke 2003

Toxic effects on both pregnant and nonpregnant mice have been found.Friedman 2003

Administration of mature, unripe fruit to pregnant hamsters on day 8 of gestation resulted in a significant increase in craniofacial malformations over controls. The malformations included exencephaly, encephalocele, and occasional cebocephaly, cleft palate, or cleft lip. The dose used (7.5 g/kg by gavage) also induced significant maternal toxicity. However, the 2 effects were considered distinct because purified alkaloids (eg, solasodine) caused fetal damage without maternal toxicity. S. dulcamara was 10-fold more potent than the other species of Solanum studied, based on alkaloid content. The saponins present in the fruit may enhance absorption of the glycoalkaloids.Keeler 1990

How to use Bittersweet Nightshade

There is no clinical evidence to guide dosage of bittersweet nightshade. Traditional use of the stem was at a dosage of 1 to 3 g/day, usually given as a decoction or infusion in 250 mL of water.Duke 2003

Warnings

Both the immature and ripened fruit are toxic,Evens 2012 with a lethal dosage is estimated to be 200 berries.Duke 2003 The FDA classifies bittersweet as an unsafe poisonous herb because of the presence of the toxic spirosolane glycoalkaloids. Like saponin, the glycoalkaloids cause hemolytic and hemorrhagic damage to the GI tract. Such poisoning is often confused with bacterial gastroenteritis, with symptoms appearing only after a latent period of several hours following ingestion. A weak effect on cardiovascular function has been documented.Duke 2003, Krayer 1950 Toxic effects on both pregnant and nonpregnant mice have been found.Friedman 2003

Symptoms of spirosolane alkaloid poisoning include the following: circulatory and respiratory depression, convulsions, cyanosis, death, diarrhea, dilated pupils, headache, paralysis, scratchy throat, shock, speech difficulties, stomachache, subnormal temperature, vertigo, and vomiting. Adults appear to be relatively resistant to the toxicity of spirosolanes, but fatal intoxications are more common in children. Emesis, fluid replacement, and supportive care, such as that used for gastroenteritis, should be administered. Despite this typically aggressive therapy, the results of one study in mice fed ripened fruit suggested that because no GI or neurologic toxicity was observed, aggressive treatment of children who ingest ripened berries may not be necessary.Friedman 2003 Nevertheless, these investigators found significant neurologic and pathologic GI toxicity when mice were fed unripened fruit, indicating that poisoning with this plant should be considered a critical situation. Other investigators have confirmed the pathologic changes in the GI tract (glandular mucosal necrosis and necrosis of the small intestine) in hamsters fed ground bittersweet fruit.Keeler 1990

Despite its history of obvious toxicity and teratogenicity, bittersweet nightshade continues to appear as a component of homeopathicJaggi 2004 and herbal medicine, in the latter case appearing as biological immune response modifier (BIRM) from an Ecuadorian source used in alternative cancer treatment.Dandekar 2003

What other drugs will affect Bittersweet Nightshade

None well documented.

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.