Research indicates the presence of toxic glycoalkaloids and there are warnings to be careful on the use of S.americanum as herbal medicine and food.
The green fruit is particularly poisonous and eating unripe berries has caused the death of children.
 Ripe berries and foliage may also cause poisoning, though the toxicity seems to diminish somewhat with ripening.
This is via high levels of the glycoalkaloids, solanine and solamargine.
Other toxins present in the plant include chaconine, solasonine, solanigrine, gitogenin and traces of saponins, as well as the tropane alkaloids scopolamine (hyoscine), atropine and hyoscyamine.

Significant amounts of solasodine (0.65%) have been found in the green berries.
 The ripe fruit also contains 0.3–0.45% solasonine, and acetylcholine, and has a cholinesterase-inhibiting effect on human plasma.
In Transkei, rural people have a high incidence of esophageal cancer thought to be a result of using S.americanum as a food.
Livestock can also be poisoned by high nitrate levels in the leaves.

Toxicity varies widely depending on the genetic strain and the location conditions, like soil and rainfall.
Poisonous plant experts advise: "...unless you are certain that the berries are from an edible strain, leave them alone."
Research indicates the presence of toxic glycoalkaloids and there are warnings to be careful on the use of S.americanum as herbal medicine and food. The green fruit is particularly poisonous and eating unripe berries has caused the death of children.  Ripe berries and foliage may also cause poisoning, though the toxicity seems to diminish somewhat with ripening. This is via high levels of the glycoalkaloids, solanine and solamargine. Other toxins present in the plant include chaconine, solasonine, solanigrine, gitogenin and traces of saponins, as well as the tropane alkaloids scopolamine (hyoscine), atropine and hyoscyamine.
Significant amounts of solasodine (0.65%) have been found in the green berries.  The ripe fruit also contains 0.3–0.45% solasonine, and acetylcholine, and has a cholinesterase-inhibiting effect on human plasma. In Transkei, rural people have a high incidence of esophageal cancer thought to be a result of using S.americanum as a food. Livestock can also be poisoned by high nitrate levels in the leaves.
Toxicity varies widely depending on the genetic strain and the location conditions, like soil and rainfall. Poisonous plant experts advise: "...unless you are certain that the berries are from an edible strain, leave them alone."
Solanum americanum