Bittersweet

Name of plant:

Bittersweet

Traditional Lore
Bittersweet (Solanum dulcamara), also known as woody nightshade, has long occupied an ambivalent place in European folk tradition as both a medicinal herb and a potentially dangerous plant. Native to Europe and western Asia, it was used in traditional herbal medicine for skin conditions, rheumatic complaints, and disorders associated with excess moisture or congestion, particularly in medieval and early modern practice. Herbalists such as John Gerard and Nicholas Culpeper recorded its use, while cautioning that it belonged to the nightshade family and required careful handling. Growing along hedgerows, riverbanks, and woodland edges, bittersweet became a familiar feature of the rural landscape, remembered as a plant whose healing reputation was matched by respect for its inherent toxicity.

Family:
Solanaceae — Nightshade family

Genus and species:
*Solanum dulcamara* L.

 

Other names:
Bittersweet nightshade, Woody nightshade, Dulcamara, Bitter nightshade, Blue nightshade, Fever twig, Felonwort, Snakeberry, Scarlet berry, Staff vine, Violet-bloom, Fellen, Mortal, Climbing nightshade

Brief introduction:
Bittersweet is a perennial climbing or scrambling vine native to Europe and parts of northern Africa and Asia and now widely naturalized in North America. It bears clusters of purple flowers with prominent yellow anthers followed by bright red berries. Its stems become woody with age.

The plant has a long history in European herbal medicine, where it was used particularly for inflammatory skin conditions, rheumatism, respiratory complaints, and various chronic diseases. Modern European herbal medicine has narrowed its accepted traditional use considerably: the European Medicines Agency recognizes preparations of the young woody stems for the symptomatic relief of repeated mild eczema. Internal use is specifically not covered because the plant may be harmful when taken orally.

Traditional uses:

* Eczema and other chronic inflammatory skin conditions
* Rheumatism and painful inflammatory disorders
* Skin eruptions, sores, and other chronic dermatological complaints
* Respiratory complaints including asthma and chronic cough
* Historically used for jaundice, bruising, and disorders attributed to the liver and spleen

Historical use:

* Used in European herbal medicine since at least the sixteenth century
* Gerard described it as a cleansing and “wasting” herb and recorded uses involving the liver and spleen
* Used historically for jaundice, bruising, respiratory difficulty, and inflammatory disorders
* Employed traditionally for rheumatism and various chronic skin diseases
* Became an important remedy in nineteenth-century Eclectic medicine and later in homeopathic preparations as *Dulcamara*

Historical sources attributed an exceptionally broad range of therapeutic actions to bittersweet, including uses for inflammatory diseases, respiratory disorders, rheumatism, and skin disease.

Parts used and method of use:

* Young woody stems — principal medicinal material
* Leaves and berries — historically used, but substantially less appropriate because of toxicity concerns

Used as:

* Decoction of young stems
* Infusion of young stems
* External wash or compress
* Topical preparation for inflammatory skin conditions

Modern European herbal preparations specifically use the stems of two- to three-year-old plants harvested in spring before leaf development or in late autumn after leaf fall.

Use in healing (modern herbal practice):

* Traditional topical treatment for mild recurrent eczema
* Relief of itching and redness associated with mild eczema
* Traditional external treatment of inflammatory skin conditions
* Historical use for rheumatic complaints
* Historical use for other chronic inflammatory conditions

The strongest modern regulatory recognition is for **external treatment of mild eczema**. The EMA specifically states that this indication is based on long-standing traditional use rather than adequate clinical trials.

Pharmacology and biochemistry:

* Solanine
* Solasodine
* β-Solamarine and related steroidal glycoalkaloids

The plant contains steroidal alkaloids and glycoalkaloids characteristic of *Solanum* species. Their presence is also responsible for much of the plant's toxicity.

Mechanisms:

* Steroidal glycoalkaloids can interfere with cellular membranes and produce toxic effects at sufficient concentrations
* Some constituents demonstrate anti-inflammatory activity in experimental systems
* Solasodine and related compounds have been investigated for biological and cytotoxic effects, although these findings do not establish therapeutic efficacy in humans

Overall profile:
A historically important European medicinal nightshade with a particularly strong tradition in dermatology and inflammatory disorders. Its chemistry is pharmacologically active but potentially toxic, making **external, carefully prepared stem preparations substantially preferable to internal use**. Modern regulatory evidence supports only traditional topical use for mild eczema.

Common dosage:

* External decoction: Prepared from medicinally prepared young stems according to the product formulation
* External infusion: Prepared from appropriately identified and prepared woody stems
* Historical internal decoction: Approximately 1–3 g dried stem/day has been reported in traditional sources
* Modern internal use: **Not recommended; no safe evidence-based oral dosage is established**

Although historical sources report internal dosing, the EMA explicitly states that woody nightshade may be harmful when taken orally and does not include internal administration in its recognized medicinal use.

Safety factors (including side effects):

* Bittersweet contains toxic steroidal glycoalkaloids and should not be casually used internally
* Berries and other plant parts can be poisonous, particularly when consumed in quantity
* Internal poisoning may produce gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms
* Children and animals should be prevented from eating the attractive red berries
* Long-term internal medicinal use should be avoided; modern therapeutic use is principally restricted to appropriately prepared external stem products

First aid / adverse reaction response:

* Suspected ingestion: Do not induce vomiting unless instructed by a poison-control professional; seek poison-control or emergency medical advice
* Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, or diarrhea after ingestion: Seek medical advice because glycoalkaloid poisoning is possible
* Neurological symptoms, weakness, confusion, or severe deterioration: Seek emergency medical attention
* Severe allergic or unexpected topical reaction: Discontinue use and seek medical attention if symptoms are significant

Drug interactions:

* No well-established clinical drug-interaction profile exists for bittersweet
* The plant's steroidal glycoalkaloids create theoretical potential for pharmacological interactions
* Internal use alongside medicines with narrow therapeutic windows should be avoided because the plant's toxicity and pharmacokinetics are poorly characterized
* External medicinal preparations are less likely to produce systemic interactions when used as directed, but should still be used according to the product's instructions

Horticultural requirements:

* USDA / Canadian zone: Approximately 2b–9a in Canada; most commonly USDA zones 4–8
* Soil pH: Approximately 5.5–7.5
* Light requirements: Full sun to partial shade
* Moisture: Moist, fertile soil; tolerates periodically wet conditions
* Other notes (growth habit, harvest timing, etc.):

  * Perennial climbing or scrambling vine with woody lower stems
  * Purple flowers with prominent yellow anthers appear in summer
  * Bright red berries develop after flowering and persist into autumn
  * Common along woodland margins, hedgerows, streambanks, disturbed ground, and fences
  * Propagates readily by seed and vegetative growth and can become invasive
  * Young medicinal stems are traditionally harvested from mature plants in spring before leaf emergence or in late autumn after leaf fall

Natural Resources Canada records *Solanum dulcamara* across Canadian hardiness zones 2b–9a.

Sampling of clinical reports / studies:

* The European Medicines Agency recognizes woody nightshade stem as a traditional herbal medicinal product for the relief of symptoms associated with repeated episodes of mild eczema in adults.
* The EMA assessment concludes that the eczema indication is supported by long-standing traditional use rather than sufficient modern clinical trials.
* Phytochemical research identifies steroidal glycoalkaloids including solanine, solasodine, and β-solamarine, providing an important pharmacological and toxicological basis for caution.
* Historical and ethnomedical literature documents extensive European use for skin disease, rheumatism, respiratory complaints, jaundice, bruising, and other inflammatory conditions.
* Overall assessment: Bittersweet has substantial historical medicinal significance, particularly as a traditional dermatological and anti-inflammatory herb. However, its toxic glycoalkaloid content makes it unsuitable for casual internal herbal use. Modern evidence supports a narrow traditional indication for appropriately prepared topical stem medicine rather than the broad internal uses found in historical herbalism.

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Educational Use Only: The information presented on this page is provided for educational, historical, and informational purposes only. ArdNemeton na Tuatha and Bhùth Draoi do not provide medical advice. Always consult your physician and pharmacist before using any herb, mushroom, supplement, or botanical product for medicinal purposes. Traditional uses described herein do not constitute medical claims.