PARTE UTILIZADA= Used part: Planta entera.

ACCIÓN FARMACOLÓGICA= Pharmacological action: Calmante, cólicos, afecciones hepáticas, ictericia, cirrosis, cálculos en la vesícula, reuma, antiinflamatorio, diurético.

COMPOSICIÓN QUÍMICA= Chemical composition: Se ha reportado la presencia de los siguientes compuestos en diferentes partes de la planta : colina, cuscohigrina, solacaproína, solanina y solasodina.

ZONA GEOGRÁFICA= Geografical zone: Uruguay y Argentina. 

Summary
Solanum sisymbriifolium is a widely distributed shrub belonging to the Solanaceae family and native to South America. It is easily found in temperate and warm regions of the Continent, mainly in Paraguay, Uruguay, Northeastern Argentina, Chile, an sometimes also in Southern Brazil. Although considered a deleterious weed to croplands, espina colorada is highly reputed in the region as a medicinal plant, mostly in the treatment of digestive and hepatic disorders, and as an antihypertensive. This later activity has received some attention from a pharmacological point of view, and recent studies have partially validated the antihypertensive effects of the extracts, making the species a promising agent in this aspect. However, the toxicity of the unripe fruits together with the popular belief that the plant possesses contraceptive properties suggests that espina colorada should be used with precaution.

1) GONZALEZ, Matías ; LOMBARDO, Atilio ; VALLARINO, Aida. Plantas de la medicina vulgar del Uruguay. Montevideo : Talleres Gráficos, 1937, p.109.

2) 270 (doscientos setenta) plantas medicinales iberoamericanas. Santiago de Bogotá : CYTED-SECAB, 1995, p.536-537.

3) ALONSO, Jorge ; DESMARCHELIER, Cristian. Plantas medicinales autóctonas de la Argentina : bases científicas para su aplicación en atención primaria de la salud.  Buenos Aires: L.O.L.A, 2005, p. 234.

4) Plantas medicinales autóctonas de la Argentina. Bases científicas para su aplicación en atención primaria de la salud / Jorge Alonso y Cristian Jorge Desmarchelier. - 1a ed. - Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires: Corpus Libros Médicos y Científicos, 2015.