Solanum asterophorum
StarSolanum asterophorum
Synonyms: Solanum melancholicum, Solanum asterophorum var. tomentosum, Solanum scaberrimum, Solanum gomphoidellum
Safety at a glance
No rule in our tables for this herb: pregnancy, breastfeeding, incompatible pairs (十八反 / 十九畏), herb–drug, dose ceiling. This is not a safety clearance.
Not graded — No toxicity grade is recorded. Most herbs in the catalogue carry none.
Traditionally used for
- Digestion
- Bowel health
Western Herbalism Properties
Traditional Uses
In northeastern Brazil, Solanum asterophorum (known locally as jurubeba-de-fogo) is used in folk medicine for liver complaints and digestive disorders (Tavares et al., 2011). Pharmacological studies have validated related activity, with the root extract showing significant antidiarrheal and spasmolytic (antispasmodic) effects in mice, attributed in part to the steroidal alkaloid isojuripidine.
Botanical Description
Solanum asterophorum is a prickly shrub of the nightshade family (Solanaceae) native to northeastern Brazil, where it occurs in the states of Paraiba and Bahia within caatinga and Atlantic forest margins. It is an erect, branching shrub armed with scattered spines on the stems and leaves, and its young parts are covered with characteristic star-shaped (stellate) hairs, alluded to by the epithet asterophorum. The alternate leaves are ovate to lobed with undulate margins. The flowers are borne in small clusters and have the typical solanaceous form, with five purple to violet petals fused into a star-shaped corolla surrounding a cone of bright yellow anthers. The fruit is a small rounded berry that ripens yellow to orange. Like many wild nightshades it contains steroidal alkaloids, including isojuripidine, and as such should be regarded as potentially toxic. Locally it is known as jurubeba-de-fogo.
Dosage Calculator
⚖ Dosage Calculator
A weight-based mathematical estimate for Solanum asterophorum. Not a prescription.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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