Pathology in hamsters administered Solanum plant species that contain steroidal alkaloids

Syrian hamsters were orally administered ground plant material from either Solanum sarrachoides, S. melongena, S. eleagnifolium, or S. dulcamara. Six of eight hamsters administered S. eleagnifolium and eight of 10 hamsters administered S. dulcamara died following administration of plant material and had gastric glandular mucosal necrosis and small intestinal mucosal necrosis with little inflammation. Hamsters administered S. sarrachoides or S. melongena did not die and had only lesions compatible with gastric distension. Both S. eleagnifolium and S. dulcamara contained solasodine glycoalkaloids(s), and S. dulcamara also contained an equal amount of other glycoalkaloids which were probably derived from soladulcidine (dihydrosolasodine). The lesions produced by these two plants were similar to those reported earlier to be caused by sprout material of S. tuberosum (in which solanidane alkaloids predominate) and by an alkaloid extract of S. tuberosum sprouts. Because of similarities in saponin-like activity and structure of solasodine glycoalkaloids to the solanidine glycoalkaloids of potato sprouts, the glycoalkaloids of S. dulcamara and S. eleagnifolium were probably the agents responsible for the lesions observed.