Family: Nightshade [Solanaceae]

Atropa

Capsicum

Datura

Hyoscyamus

Iochroma

Lycium

Lycopersicon

Nicandra

Nicotiana

Nolana

Petunia

Physalis

Physochlaina

Salpichroa

Scopolia

Solanum

Text on Family goes here

The glycoalkaloid poisons alpha-solanine and alpha-chaconine are to be found in the nightshade family of plants, the(Solanaceae), in particular in potatoes, tomatoes, egg plant (aubergines) and Bittersweet. It is present in small quatities throughout potato tubers, especially in the sprouting shoots, but a lot more is synthesized by the potatoe if the tuber is exposed to sunlight, where the exposed parts become green (with harmless chlorophyll). It is in and near the green parts where the highest concentration of solanine is to be found. Solanine is not rendered safe by boiling, but deep frying at 170 Celsius does destroy most of the solanine. Normally, potatoes contain between 20mg and 150mg per kilogram of raw potato, but when turned green on exposure to sunlight may contain as much as 1000mg/kg, mostly just under the skin (the shoots contain even higher amounts). Solanine adds an un-pleasant bitterness to the flavour of potatoes when its concentraion exceeds 200mg/kg, so potato poisoning is now rare, especially as cooks are now more aware of the dangers of greening or sprouting potatoes.

Solanine is, amongst many other effects, a choline esterase inhibitor and thus affects the nervous system. The symptoms of solanine poisoning ae nausea, vomitting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, burning of the throat, heart arrythmia, dizziness, and in severe cases hallucinations, loss of feeling, paralysis, jaundice, hypothermia and death. It causes apoptosis in cells; the cells commit suicide. Between 2 and 5mg/kg of body weight will cause severe poisoning, possibly fatal.

Tomatine is another poisonous glycoalkaloid. It is found in green tomatoes, hence the name, and has a fourth ring upper right, as well as other differences. α-tomatine in tomatoes acts as an anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and against insects and has been shown to display interesting pharmacological properties against bacteria, virii, fungi and tumours.