Studies on Indian Solanum I. Alkaloid content and detection of solasodine

Fruits and/or leaves of 31 species ofSolanum that grow in India have been assayed for total alkaloid content and the presnce of solasodine in them has been determined by TLC. This survey revealed that 12 species contained solasodine and thatS. khasianum, S. elaeagnifolium, S. auriculatum andS. giganteum contained sufficient quantity of total alkaloid to warrant further studies on these plants in order to determine whether they could be developed as sources of raw materials for the steroid industry.