Common Name:
Yellow- berried night shade (Eng.)

Sanskrit Names: 

• Kantakari- Means it is having lots of kantaka (Thorns) with itself
• Duhsparsha- Means a plant which is very painful to touch because of thorns
• Kshudra- Means its plant is small in size
• Vyaghri- Means a plant that makes sound like vyaghra (Tiger)
• Nidigdhika- Means this plant spreads over a large area very fast

Lt. Name:
Solanum surratense- Solanaceae

Bio energetics:

• Rasa(Taste)- Tikta (Bitter); Katu(Pungent)
• Guna(Characteristics)- Laghu(Light);
• Veerya(Potency)- Ushna(Warm)
• Vipaka(Post digestion effect)- Katu(Pungent)

Effect of Kantakari on Tridoshas:
Because of its warm potency Kantakari pacifies the Vata and Kapha Doshas i.e. it is useful in management of diseases having their origin in Kapha/ Vata or both. 

Therapeutic Uses of Kantakari in Ayurveda:

• Kasa- shwasahara- Kantakari is useful in all types of cough and respiratory discomforts 
• Kanthya- Improves voice
• Hikka nigrahana- Alleviates hiccough
• Shothahara- Kantakari is useful in management of all edematous conditions
• Sheeta prashamana- Kantakari alleviates discomfort of long stay in cold
• Angamarda prashamana-Kantakari has tranquilizer (Pain killer) effect
• Deepana-Kantakari ignites digestive fire
• Krimihara-Kantakari is useful in all infectious conditions
• Kanduhara-Alleviates itching
• Garbha karini- Useful in management of infertility
• Meda hara- Kantakari removes unwanted fat from the body
• Swarabheda hara- Kantakari is useful in all disorders of voice
• Ashmari hara- Useful in management of kidney stones

Medicinal value of Kantakari:

• Kantakari is employed in the treatment of dropsy, a disease marked by an excessive collection of fluid in the tissues and cavities or natural hollows of the body.
• When alcohol extract of Kantakari are given to Diabetic rats, it showed significant reduction in the glycogen content and in the activities of glucose metabolizing enzymes such as glucokinase, glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase and an elevation in the activities of gluconeogeneic enzymes such as glucose-6-phosphatase and fructose-1, 6-bisphosphatase.  

Useful part of Kantakari:
Whole plant

Doses of Kantakari:
Powder 3-6 gm; Decoction 40-80 ml

Some combinations with Kantakari:

Vyaghriharitaki; Kantakari ghruta; Vyaghari tail; Nidigdhikadi kwatha

Some important notes about Kantakari:

• In any type of cough Kantakari should be taken with soup of green gram treated with Haridra and Amalaki.
• Taking clarified butter treated with Kantakari is very useful in management of all types of cough and respiratory discomforts.
• In kidney stones Kantakari and Brihati should be taken with honey.