Procumbent nightshade

Solanum procumbens is a perennial climbing vine or scrambling shrub, 60–100 cm tall, with slender, sparsely prickly and downy stems. Leaves are alternate, oblong-ovate, with soft hairs beneath. Inflorescences arise in leaf axils with 4–9 flowers, corolla pale violet; the berry is globose, red when ripe, 7–9 mm in diameter, containing many seeds. The plant prefers sunny spots and grows wild in hedges, forest edges and open ground on low hills.

According to Plants of the World Online (Kew), the species is distributed across Indochina and southern China: Vietnam (from the northern provinces to Thừa Thiên Huế), Laos, Cambodia and China (Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan). In Vietnam it grows wild in the midlands and forest fringes of the north and north-central provinces; stems and leaves are harvested year-round as medicinal material.

The roots and aerial parts contain steroidal glycoalkaloids, with the aglycone solasodine and the glycosides solasonine and solamargine, together with flavonoids. In 2022, the group of Nguyen Thanh Tri isolated a new neolignan (8,3′-neolignan) from material collected in Vietnam. These compounds underpin the anti-inflammatory and liver-protective activities under investigation.

In Vietnamese traditional medicine, Solanum procumbens is used to detoxify the liver, support hepatitis B treatment, relieve joint and muscle pain and treat boils; dried stems and leaves are also brewed as a daily herbal tea. In vitro and in vivo studies report anti-inflammatory activity and inhibition of liver fibrosis (Nguyen Thi Minh Khai). In 2022, the group of Ibrahim Abdel Aziz synthesized ZnO nanoparticles from leaf extract and observed cytotoxicity against A549 lung cancer cells in vitro — still at a preclinical stage.

In Vietnam, products made from Solanum procumbens are widely marketed as herbal teas and liver-support dietary supplements. However, glycoalkaloids may be toxic in high or prolonged doses; pregnant and breastfeeding women should be cautious and not self-medicate in place of prescribed treatment. The species has not been assessed by IUCN (Not Evaluated); because it is heavily harvested from the wild, sustainable collection and cultivation for conservation are recommended.