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Makoy मकोय
Solanum nigrum
Also known as: Makoya
Part used: Fruit
| Rasa (taste) | Tikta (Bitter), Kashaya (Astringent) |
|---|---|
| Guna (qualities) | Laghu (Light), Ruksha (Dry) |
| Virya (potency) | Ushna (Hot) |
| Vipaka | Katu (Pungent) |
| Dosha | Balances Kapha & Vata |
| Prabhava | Classical systemic action |
Key takeaways
- Botanical name: Solanum nigrum
- Part used: Fruit
- Dosha action: Balances Kapha & Vata
- Typical dose: Whole plant powder 3–6 g per day; fresh juice 10–20 ml; decoction 40–80 ml twice daily.
Makoy in other languages
Introduction
Makoy (Solanum nigrum) is the black nightshade, a soft annual of Indian gardens and waste ground whose ripe purple-black berries are eaten as a vegetable in many regions.
Ayurveda uses the whole plant as a liver and diuretic drug — one of the classical remedies for oedema, jaundice and enlarged liver — and it is among the gentler members of a family better known for its poisons.
Classification
Family Solanaceae. The whole plant, leaf and ripe fruit are officinal. Rasa: Tikta, Katu. Guna: Laghu, Snigdha. Virya: Ushna. Vipaka: Katu. Doshaghnata: pacifies all three doshas.
Uses & benefits
Given in oedema, ascites and enlarged liver and spleen, in jaundice, and in chronic skin disease. Classical texts describe it as Yakrit-uttejaka and Shothahara. It appears in Ark Makoya and Nasht Pushpantak Ras in this catalogue.
Makoy for the liver
The classical Yakrit-uttejaka indication — used where sluggish liver function shows as jaundice, poor appetite and abdominal fullness.
Makoy for swelling
A gentle diuretic used in oedema and ascites, often alongside Punarnava in the classical formulations.
Dosage — how much to take
Whole plant powder 3–6 g per day; fresh juice 10–20 ml; decoction 40–80 ml twice daily.
Dosage varies with age, constitution and condition — confirm with a qualified Vaidya.
Traditional uses — questions answered from the classical texts
Answers are drawn from the citations and properties recorded for this drug. No chapter-and-verse reference appears that the record does not carry.
Which classical texts describe Makoy?
The citations held for Makoy in this catalogue are: Charaka Samhita (Chikitsasthana — Shotha); Bhavaprakasha Nighantu (Guduchyadi Varga — Kakamachi).
What does the Charaka Samhita record about Makoy?
Used in the management of oedema and liver disorders. Reference: Charaka Samhita — Chikitsasthana — Shotha.
What does the Bhavaprakasha Nighantu record about Makoy?
Tikta-katu rasa, ushna virya; shothahara and yakrit-uttejaka. Reference: Bhavaprakasha Nighantu — Guduchyadi Varga — Kakamachi.
What is Makoy traditionally used for in Ayurveda?
Given in oedema, ascites and enlarged liver and spleen, in jaundice, and in chronic skin disease. Classical texts describe it as Yakrit-uttejaka and Shothahara. It appears in Ark Makoya and Nasht Pushpantak Ras in this catalogue.
What are the Ayurvedic properties of Makoy?
Rasa Tikta (Bitter), Kashaya (Astringent), Guna Laghu (Light), Ruksha (Dry), Virya Ushna (Hot), Vipaka Katu (Pungent). Dosha action: Balances Kapha & Vata. Prabhava: Classical systemic action.
Why is Makoy classified the way it is?
In dravya-guna a drug's dosha action follows from its taste, qualities, potency and post-digestive effect. Makoy carries Ushna (Hot) virya and Katu (Pungent) vipaka, which together give the recorded action: Balances Kapha & Vata.
Which part of Makoy is used medicinally?
The part used is Fruit.
How much Makoy is taken, and how?
Whole plant powder 3–6 g per day; fresh juice 10–20 ml; decoction 40–80 ml twice daily. Dosage varies with age, constitution and condition — confirm it with a qualified Vaidya.
When should Makoy be avoided?
The ripe berries are eaten as food in many parts of India, but unripe green berries and the leaf in quantity contain solanine and can cause vomiting, diarrhoea and confusion. Use only ripe fruit and classical doses of the plant. Avoid in pregnancy. Not for children except at a physician's direction.
Where does Makoy grow?
A common annual of gardens, field margins and waste ground throughout India, fruiting through the cool season.
Classical references
- Bhavaprakasha Nighantu — Guduchyadi Varga — Kakamachi
Tikta-katu rasa, ushna virya; shothahara and yakrit-uttejaka. - Charaka Samhita — Chikitsasthana — Shotha
Used in the management of oedema and liver disorders.
Safety & precautions
The ripe berries are eaten as food in many parts of India, but unripe green berries and the leaf in quantity contain solanine and can cause vomiting, diarrhoea and confusion. Use only ripe fruit and classical doses of the plant. Avoid in pregnancy. Not for children except at a physician's direction.
Where it grows
A common annual of gardens, field margins and waste ground throughout India, fruiting through the cool season.
Frequently asked questions
Are the berries safe to eat?
Ripe black berries are eaten as a vegetable in many regions. Unripe green berries contain solanine and should not be eaten — they cause vomiting and diarrhoea.
Is Makoy related to Kantakari?
Both are Solanum species, but they are different plants with different uses. Kantakari is a thorny respiratory drug; Makoy is a soft-stemmed liver and diuretic drug.
