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I bet you that if you ever have you found peeling potatoes with a greenish skin, is not it? You should discard it. Have you seen a recipe online with raw eggplant?Better not do.
In our supply there are many plants, it is true. In any food philosophy even all are plants, yes. But as living beings they are, they have to fend off attacks from other pathogens or herbivores that can kill them. Like a bee can sting if threatened or you can bite an animal, plant, they have their own form of defense. One is the production of toxic compounds with intense physiological effects in animals.Do not forget that plants are not there to feed or heal them !! Time, scientific research and in some cases the errors they have made some of these compounds have today a role in pharmacology and can be used for various therapeutic purposes, usually at very low doses. Think of morphine, aspirin ... and other plant-based drugs.
It is known that was first cultivated in the Andean highlands about 7000 years ago.The Spanish conquerors were responsible for almost bring to Europe in the late sixteenth century, but more like a botanical curiosity than as food. Although their culture was growing and consumption was expanding, at times in history people were reluctant to take it, considering toxic or hazardous. Normal, it was unknown. Something similar happens today with GM. Even today, it is still consuming wild potato (or creole potato) by the Indians in parts of South America.
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| Tomatillo or nightshade devil, of which first isolated solanine |
In 1820, French scientists isolated an alkaloid called solanine from berries of black nightshade ( Solanum nigrum ), also called Devil tomatillo-name quite appropriate-but it was not until a century later, it became known that this alkaloid was a mixture of two compounds, Ī±-Ī±-solanine and chaconine.
The genus Solanum , in the nightshade family contains over 1000 species, but three are cultivated worldwide: potato (Solanum tuberosum ), tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum ) and eggplant ( Solanum melongena ). These three species have naturally solanine on leaves, fruits and tubers.
But what is solanine?
If ever been known to eat you bitter eggplant, solanine is responsible. It is a bitter-tasting toxic glycoalkaloid whose chemical formula is C 45 H 73 NO 15 . As a glycoalkaloid means consists of an alkaloid and a hydrocarbon chain. In general, and as you can see in the chart below you have, solanine is how generically called glycoalkaloids genusSolanum, of which you see, there are several. It is a secondary metabolite or molecule defense of plants with fungicidal properties and pesticides used to protect against disease, insects and other predators. Since it gives the plants a natural defense mechanism, it has been used in agriculture as an alternative way to combat crop diseases.
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| Chemical structure of solanine. Source: Wikipedia |
Where do we find?
In the case of potatoes, the glycoalkaloids are present in all parts including tubers (with higher concentrations in the skin and just below), roots, shoots and leaves.The average content of glycoalkaloids is about 7.5 mg per 100 g of potatoes, but some diseases such as mildew, can greatly increase these levels by multiplying by 5. It is also variable depending on environmental and genetic factors. For example, the physiological stress, the development stage (immature potatoes have considerably more solanine), high temperature storage, impact damage in potatoes or storage itself if carried out with lots of light.
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| Glycoalkaloid alkaloids and derivatives in the three species of the genus important Solanum . In general, solanines. |
While at home we do not eat raw potatoes and fry usually, boiling, guisarlas or put them in the oven or microwave, all these methods only eliminate these glycoalkaloids and although infrequently, there are still cases of poisoning.Although some sources indicate that cooking temperatures can break the glycoalkaloids, the fact is that thesolanidine is stable in oil at 170-180 ° C.The baking removes less than 3.5% of the glycoalkaloids, while the microwave cooking only reduces its concentration by 15%. The degradation of these compounds begins at 170 ° C, so the fry (about 150 ° C) does not alter its concentration significantly. Heating the potato at 210 ° C for 10 minutes reduces the concentration of Ī±-chaconine and Ī±-solanine 40%. However, it is noteworthy that the full to prepare crisps or chips process, it does manage to remove much of the glycoalkaloids thank all the steps that occur during production: peeling, slicing, washing and frying. Apparently, the key is to wash the potatoes and frequent changes of frying oil. It is not to panic. We've spent years eating fries at home and we have not had any problems right? As discussed below, poisoning fortunately not within the reach of everyone and danger (high concentration of solanine) really it is in a green-literally immature potato or one that has been damaged or eaten raw. In any case, you can see at a glance by the greenish color and a strong bitter taste so just discard the potato. Furthermore, the potato varieties for consumption, have typically been selected and improved (for example, by crossing) to produce low concentrations of these compounds.
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| Potatoes "greened" indicating high concentration of solanine. It is enough to discard and not eating. |
The case of tomato is much clearer and be direct: Do not be consumed green tomatoes. Green tomatoes compared with red and ripe, contain much more amount of Tomatina . If the potato was 7.5 mg / 100 g, tomatoes can have 150 mg per 100 g fresh weight.
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| Solanine content in different parts of the tomato. Expressed as m g / g fresh weight. |
There are varieties of tomatoes are green. Eye, not that they are green but in his mature phase and have this color. Even with more solanine than red tomatoes, always will unless the unripe tomatoes. If only you could have these green tomatoes, cook and use them in sauces or stews, salads ever. Remember that the lower the more red tomato, higher content of lycopene (antioxidant) and tomatina will. Its content is drastically reduced to levels below 5 mg per kilo (or 0.5 mg per 100 g) and is an amount that is no problem.
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| Ripe tomato vs tomato (red). Note that there are varieties that are green being mature. |
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| Eggplants |
If more light can say, it is the eggplant.The presence of solanine is responsible for the bitter taste that can notice when eating eggplant. Although the concentration of solamargine (solanine of this fruit) is below that required to produce a poisoning of gravity, it is recommended always eat cooked. If raw ate, could cause significant gastric discomfort with vomiting and diarrhea, especially in people with a tendency to suffer from gastric or intestinal problems.In general, the eggplant is very health claims: containing 93% water, almost no fat, fiber (if taken with skin) and few calories, so it is recommended in diets.Further it contains vitamin C and several group B rich minerals such as iron, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, zinc, among others. But remember, always cooked.
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| Cestrum parqui , a totally toxic Solanum |
I have set nearby examples of foods you normally have in our kitchen. But there are other Solanaceae solanine content of which is directly threatening and thankfully, are not normally part of our diet. Surely someone checked it ... once.Properly tomatillo Devil ( Solanum nigrum), which was isolated solanine first, is as toxic for the content of this glycoalkaloid wild plant, the poison begins vomiting, stomach pain and fever, and ends with paralysis and heart failure. However, tea leaves are employed with purging purposes sedative, antiinflammatory, antipyretic and. Curiously, despite its toxicity, ripe fruits and cooked once they have come to be used in jams and preserves. There are those who live on the edge.
The palqui ( Cestrum parqui ) is another native Solanum Central America and South America. Completely toxic. Whole.Even when dry. Causes a quick and painful death in 1-3 days.
How does solanine?
First of all, we must make it clear that the consumption of solanine poisoning are rare, and its prevalence is higher in the South and India where they can use other parts of the plant with the highest content America. Logically, the most affected will be the poor animals directly ingest the plant alkaloid. At the end of the day nature it is wise and this molecule had this purpose remember?
Still, let's see what it does.
Although it is not completely elucidated the mechanism of action, solanine inhibits the action of acetylcholinesterase, which degrades acetylcholine and prevent degradation of this neurotransmitter increases levels.Wait, you what I'll rephrase. It makes the neurotransmitter acetylcholine to accumulate, and the result is that causes continuous stimulation of the muscles, glands and central nervous system.
In animal models, solanine toxicity is dose dependent, species and route of administration, being more toxic than oral parenteral route. Obviously, nobody is going to inject a shot of solanine, so I just have to pay attention to the intake.
How serious poisoning?
The advantage is that you can detect in time and not lead to intoxication.Remember the bitter taste! By making human studies, a bitter taste is detected when the amount of solanine from potatoes exceeds 14 mg / 100g potatoes and a feeling that you mouth burns when it goes from the 22 mg / 100 g potatoes.As dictated by the American FDA (Food & Drug Administration), the limits as permissible and safe are below 20 mg / 100 g potatoes. Symptoms of poisoning may be relatively mild (nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach aches, sore throat, arrhythmia, headache, dizziness) or more severe (hallucinations, paralysis, fever, unconsciousness, hypothermia), while doses of 3 to 6 mg per kilogram body weight (no potatoes) can be fatal. That is, about 180-360 mg for a 60 kg. It would be a glut of potatoes shabby!
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| 1948 medical case published in British Medical Journal . Poisoning by solanine and fatal outcome. |
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| Fruits and flowers of bittersweet. The fruits, look, reminiscent of small tomatoes. ARE POISONOUS |
The friendly face of solanine. Yes, they also have.
As defense molecule that is in plants, the main function we can find in it is to be antifungal and antibacterial. Many of the alkaloids derived from plants have been used in medicine but in the case of solanine, are still done numerous studies since have been quite interesting applications.
As antiallergic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory . Some studies have shown an improvement of 32 allergy patients to belladonna and cereals. In guinea pigs, the crude extract Solanum linguistrinumproduced antipyretic and antiinflammatory effect. In mice, ethanolic extracts of potato administered orally improved pain and inflammation.
As an antibiotic, antiviral and antifungal .To mention some examples, mice are injected with low levels of solanine, they are resistant to changes in lethal dose ofSalmonella typhimurium . Perhaps it does is stimulate the immune system.Likewise, the solanines potato and tomato, also inhibit Herpes simplex in vitro. A cream formulation which contains solamargine and solasonine (eggplant) reduces lesions in patients with Herpes genitalis, Herpes simplex and herpes zoster. As a preparation from leaves of Solanum nigrescens inhibit Candida albicans in vitroand vaginal candidiasis in guinea pigs and infected women.
Studies that more attention grabbing and no longer published, are related to the properties of solanine against cancer.There is still much to investigate and clarify but published so far, opens new horizons in the treatment of this disease.
It has been found that these glycoalkaloids are capable of inhibiting in vitro cell lines of breast cancer, cervical cancer, osteosarcoma, colon, gastric, glioblastoma, leukemia, liver, lung, lymphoma, melanoma, pancreas and prostate. In vivo results show inhibition of tumor formation and growth in fish, mouse and human skin cancer ( Source ).For example, a study where it was found that a cream containing 0.005% of solasodine (eggplant) applied topically is effective in the regression of basal cell carcinoma and squamous human without adverse effects on the liver was published in 1991, kidney or blood.
Logically, these results have to be caught with tweezers and further research. As we know, is not the same as a study in vitrothan in vivo like are not extrapolated the results obtained in mice or guinea pigs to humans. There is still much to do, but studies are there, the science continues to advance and who knows if in the potato, tomato and eggplant, is a key cancer.
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Scientific publications relating solanine and its effects on tumor cells. Click on the image to enlarge. |
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