ma-weng khreua (มะแว้งเครือ)

Thai name for a herbal thorny creeper, with the botanical name Solanum trilobatum. It has medicinal properties and is used in Ayurveda, where it is commonly referred to by its Tamil designation, i.e. thoodhuvalai. For medicinal usage in traditional medicine, it is usually made into a powder, or mildly fried in oil and grinded, and is used to treat respiratory diseases, such as asthma and cough, but also against the common cold. The plant has bluish violet flowers with dark yellow stamens. It bears green pea eggplant-like (fig.) fruits, that turn red as they ripen. The plant is covered in thorns, including on its leaves, which are considered to be mildly toxic and need to be removed prior to consumption. In English, it is commonly known as Purple Fruited Pea Eggplant and Thai Nightshade. Also transcribed ma-waeng khreua. See also POSTAGE STAMP. 回