Makoi - Manathakkali

Botanical Name: Solanum Nigrum

Common Name: Common nightshade, Garden Night Shade

Sanskrit: Kakamachi

Hindi: Makoi, Makoya

Tamil: Manathakkali, Sukuti keerai

Kannada: Ganikayeagida, Ganikegida

Malayalam: Karinthakkali, Mulaguthakkali

Marathi: Kamoni, Laghukavali

Bengali: Gudakamai

Gujarati: Piludi

Oriya: Lunlunia, Lunilunika

Punjabi: Mako

Telugu: Kamanchi ,Kasaka

Urdu: Makoh, Makoya

Manipuri: Leipungkhangga

Description:

Black nightshade is a plant, an annual weed that grows up to 60cm tall, is branched and usually erect, growing wild in wastelands and crop fields. Alternate leaves are ovate deep green with an indented margin and acuminate at the tip. Flowers are white with yellow colored centre. The berries are green at early stage and turn to orange or black when ripened.

In traditional medicine system, Makoi is used for treatment of many ailments such as inflammation, pain, liver diseases, fever etc. The plant leaves are cooked like vegetable and eaten. The fresh leaves juice is taken orally in form of fresh juice or decoction for treating disease. The whole plant is used for medicinal purpose. In many parts of country, the roots are boiled and given to women to boost fertility. The root juice is used as medicine for asthma and whooping cough.

Medicinal uses of Makoi

Solanum nigrum is used for treatment of diseases for hundreds of years. It has expectorant, analgesic, sedative, diaphoretic properties. It is external application cures skin diseases and gives relief in burns, itching, pain etc.

Arthritis, joint pain, rheumatism

Poultice of leaves is prepared and applied externally on the painful joints.

Insomnia or sleeplessness

For insomnia roots of the plant are used. The roots are boiled in water and a decoction is prepared which is filtered and taken 10-20 ml.

Pain in ears

The lukewarm juice of leaves is used as ear drop to get relief from pain in ears.

Stomatitis

Stomatitis is inflammation of the mucous membrane of the mouth. This disease is known as Mukh-Pak in Hindi. For this ailment, chewing 5-6 leaves of plant is helpful.

Enlargement of liver

In this condition, juice of plant is given. Fresh juice is extracted and heated in earthen vessel till it changes colour. This is given in dose of 25-50 ml for few days. The extract of Black Nightshade is effective in treating liver cirrhosis.

Spleen enlargement

In spleen enlargement, the decoction of plant is prepared. In this decoction sendha namak and cumin seeds are added and taken.

Skin diseases, ring worms

A paste of leaves is prepared and applied externally.

Stomach-ache, stomach ulcer, cough

The fresh leaves are cooked like vegetable by adding onion and jeera and eaten. The fresh leaves juice is also taken for curing the same.

Caution and Side-effects

Makoi  contains glycoalkaloid solanine. Solanine has varying degrees of toxicity in a dose dependent manner. The toxicity of plant depends on the climate, soil type, season, and maturity. The green unripe berries are generally considered more toxic than the ripe berries. Few cases of poisoning after eating berries of plant are also reported. By cooking, boiling (decoction) the toxic components are destroyed as the plant is reported to be edible after cooking.