Black Nightshade/ Wonderberry
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A leafy green vegetable with small white flowers and black berries. It grows wild and is also cultivated in many parts of Kenya.
swahili name
Mnavu/ mnagu
More Local Names
borana:
DIGO:
duruma:
giriama:
Mnavu
kamba:
Kitulu
kauma:
kikuyu:
Managu
kipsigis:
Isoiyot
kisii:
kuria:
luhya:
Litsusa
LUO:
Osuga
maasai:
Ormomoi
maragoli:
meru:
mijikenda:
nandi:
Isochot
NUBI:
OGIEK:
pokomo:
pokot:
rabai:
sabaot:
samburu:
suba:
TURKANA:
Scientific Name
Solanum nigrum
plant family
Plant Details and use
1. Nutritional Use (Leafy Vegetable)
- Use: Leaves and young shoots are cooked and eaten as a vegetable, often with ugali.
- Example: In Kikuyu and Luo households, managu is a staple green, valued for its iron and vitamin content.
2. Stomach and Digestive Health
- Use: Decoctions of leaves or roots are used to treat stomachaches, ulcers, and indigestion.
- Example: In Kisii, boiled leaves are consumed to relieve stomach discomfort.
3. Oral Health and Teething
- Use: Unripe fruits are squeezed on babies’ gums to ease teething pain.
- Example: In Western Kenya, this practice is common among Luhya mothers.
4. Fever and Malaria
- Use: Leaf infusions are taken to reduce fever and manage malaria symptoms.
- Example: Among the Kalenjin, managu tea is used during malaria recovery.
5. Wound Healing and Skin Conditions
- Use: Crushed leaves are applied to wounds, boils, and skin rashes.
- Example: In Nakuru, traditional healers use leaf poultices for skin infections.
6. Women's Health
- Use: Used to treat menstrual cramps and postpartum recovery.
- Example: In Kakamega, women consume managu after childbirth to regain strength.
treatable conditions
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