Solanum mammosum, also known as Apple Of Sodom, Cow’s Udder, Breastberry, Fox Face, Macaw Bush, Love Apple, Mickey Mouse Plant, Macawbush, Nipple Nightshade, Nipple Fruit, Tit Fruit, Pigs Ears, Titty Fruit, Tit Plant, Zombie Fruit, Turkey Berry is a flowering plant in the family Solanaceae. It is native to South America but naturalized in Greater Antilles, Caribbean and Central America. It is widespread in Central America: Belize, Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama and Amazon basin: Northwestern Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Columbia, Surinam and Guyana. It has been introduced elsewhere and is commonly grown in east and south east Asia but rare in Africa. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant. Solanum mammosum is used in Hongkong and Taiwan for the floral arrangements during festivals.

Plant

An annual or perennial, woody shrub which is usually 1.5 m in height. The branched stems are brown or purple to green in color. The flowers are pink to purple and 2.5 cm long. The leaves are broad, hairy, spiny, ovate-orbicular and 10-25 cm in length. The fruits are rounded, oblong or cylindric to oblong; glossy orange or yellow; 4.5-7 cm long and 3-4 cm across. Fruits contain several seeds which are compressed, purplish red-dark brown and 3-4 mm as diameter. The inside flesh of fruit is white.

Nutritional value

The serving size of 100 grams of Solanum mammosum fruit provides 0.96 grams of protein, 0.78 grams of total dietary fiber, 3.23 grams of total sugars, 7 grams of calcium, 0.05 grams of Vitamin C and 4 µg of Beta carotene.

Health Benefits of Solanum mammosum

• Fruit helps to cure irritability and restlessness.
• In Philippines, fruit is used to treat phthisis, loss of appetite and cough.
• Fruit is used as a poultice to treat cracked nipples and abscesse whereas the burnt fruit is useful for liver problems.
• The burnt peduncle is used for piles, intestinal haemorrhage and toothache.
• The mixture of fruit juice, roots and leaves is used to treat skin problems.
• The decoction made from root is used to cure asthma.
• The roots boiled with grain porridge and sour milk helps to cure syphilis.
• The dried stalk, roots and leaves are used in decoction to wash sores.
• Leaves are used as a treatment for haemorrhoids.
• The decoction made from leaves is used to treat stomach problems.
• In Dominican Republic, leaf and fruit extracts are used to treat skin wounds, mouth infections, high blood pressure and cholesterol.
• The plant is used in Peninsular Malaysia to cure the caterpillar rash.
• In Sarawak, the juice of the fruit is used to treat the sore eyes.
• The poultice made from leaves helps to treat piles.
• In Costa Rica, leaves decoction is used to aid kidney and bladder diseases.
• Seeds are used in El Salvador to aid colds.
• In Belize, the juice of leaves helps to cure athlete’s foot.
• Fruit is used in Bolivia to treat scabies.

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