Abstract

A BRIEF REVIEW ON PHARMACOLOGICAL POTENTIAL OF Solanum melongena

Teertha Nalinakshan*, Karunakar Hegde, A. R. Shabaraya

ABSTRACT

Eggplant, Solanum melongena, also known as aubergine or brinjal is an important solanaceous vegetable crop in many countries. It is a native of India. Eggplant is a good source of minerals and vitamins, and in total nutritional value, it can be compared with tomato. The important eggplant-growing countries are India, Japan, Indonesia, China, Bulgaria, many African countries, Italy, France, and the USA. Eggplant grow much like tomatoes whereby it hangs free from the vines with several feet in height but weighs from 15 to 1500 grams (g) They also grow in colours such as purple, white lavender, jade, green, orange, yellow-white, creamy-white, lime, pink, red-plum, burgundy and dusty brown. Some grow from 50 to 60cm tall, others grow to 2 meters (m) tall. Extracts from brinjal have a extra toxic result on cancer cells than on normal cells. The different parts of the plant have shown to possess various medicinal and pharmacological properties such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-diabetic, immune modulatory, and hypolipidemic.

Keywords: Botanical description, Chemical constituents, Distribution, Pharmacological activities, Brinjal, Solanum melongena.