Anju Das,
Kamal Deka,
Himanta Biswa Saikia,
Kangjam Olivia Devi,
Larisuklang Nongrang,
Madhusmita Kaibarta,
- Assistant Professor, Royal School of Pharmacy, The Assam Royal Global University, Guwahati, Assam, India
- Assistant Professor, Royal School of Pharmacy, The Assam Royal Global University, Guwahati, Assam, India
- Assistant Professor, Royal School of Pharmacy, The Assam Royal Global University, Guwahati, Assam, India
- Student, Royal School of Pharmacy, The Assam Royal Global University, Guwahati, Assam, India
- Student, Royal School of Pharmacy, The Assam Royal Global University, Guwahati, Assam, India
- Student, Royal School of Pharmacy, The Assam Royal Global University, Guwahati, Assam, India
Abstract
Solanum viarum Dunal, commonly known as tropical soda apple or Sodom apple, is a medicinally important plant belonging to the family Solanaceae. The plant has been widely utilized in traditional medicine systems for the treatment of fever, cough, skin disorders, inflammation, gastrointestinal ailments, and microbial infections. The present review comprehensively summarizes the ethnomedicinal importance, phytochemical profile, pharmacological activities, and pharmaceutical significance of S. viarum. Literature reports indicate that the plant contains diverse bioactive constituents including steroidal alkaloids, glycoalkaloids, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, saponins, and steroidal glycosides. Among these, solasodine, solasonine, and solamargine are considered the major pharmacologically active compounds. Experimental studies have demonstrated significant antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, cytotoxic, insecticidal, hepatoprotective, and wound healing activities of different plant extracts. The plant also possesses considerable industrial importance because solasodine serves as a precursor for the synthesis of steroidal hormones, corticosteroids, and oral contraceptive drugs. Recent advances including transcriptomic studies, nanoparticle synthesis, tissue culture techniques, and green extraction approaches have further expanded the scientific interest in S. viarum. However, limited clinical studies, lack of standardized formulations, and insufficient toxicological validation remain major challenges for its therapeutic application. Therefore, further multidisciplinary investigations involving phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, biotechnology, and clinical research are essential to establish the safety, efficacy, and pharmaceutical potential of Solanum viarum Dunal in modern medicine.
Keywords: Solanum viarum, Tropical soda apple, Solasodine, Steroidal alkaloids, Phytochemistry, Pharmacological activities, Antimicrobial activity, Pharmaceutical applications.
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Research & Reviews: A Journal of Pharmacognosy
| Volume | 13 | |
| 03 | ||
| Received | 01/06/2026 | |
| Accepted | 02/08/2026 | |
| Published | 04/08/2026 | |
| Publication Time | 64 Days |