Tomato ( Lycopersicon esculentum L; Solanaceae)

The tomato is mentioned by both Gerald and Culpeper. There were once many other names for it: Apple of love, Pomum aureum,Poma amoris, Lycopersicum. Around 1830, Geiger, while reviewing past customs, reported that the fruit had once been credited with the ability to induce madness in the beloved!

The green fruit is very rich in: calories: 24; water:93%; proteins: 1.2%; lipids:0.2%; sugars:5.1%; fibre: 0.5%; calcium 13mg; phosphorus: 27mg; iron:0.5mg; carotene:162ug.

The extracts of the green fruit show antibacterial activity against the bacteria causing skin infections in man.

The presence of tomatine, one of the steroid alkaloids, present in the fruit inhibits the growth of the Candida Fungus.

This would justify to some extent the traditional uses of this plant.

Parts used: Leaf,Fruit.

Description:

Herbaceous erect plant reaching up to 1m in height, hairy and glandulous. Leaves dentate, flowers yellow; corolla 10-16mm. Fruit is a rounded drupe reaching 3-5cm in diameter.

Habitat:

This plant originates from tropical America but is now planted throughout the world as culinary plant.

Prepararion and utilisation:

1. The fruit is eaten cooked, and raw in salads.

2. The crushed leaves are applied as a poultice on burns.

3. The crushed green fruit and leaves are rubbed in the mouth during buccal candidiadis.