#CoughRemedies

For generations, the humble มะแว้งต้น (mawaengton), a native shrub found across much of rural Thailand, has held a prominent place in pharmacy cabinets and folk wisdom. Today, as health-conscious Thais turn back to herbal remedies for gentle relief and global researchers re-examine ancient cures, Solanum indicum L. stands at a fascinating crossroads—its pungent, bitter berries long trusted for soothing coughs now being verified and expanded upon by modern scientists.

มะแว้งต้น is known by several regional names—มะแค้งขม and มะแค้งดำ in the North and Northeast—and its distinctive round, greenish-black fruit is a familiar sight in fresh markets and traditional medicine shops throughout Thailand. Sometimes intermingled with closely related species like มะแว้งเครือ (Solanum trilobatum), the มะแว้งต้น is a member of the nightshade family (Solanaceae), which also includes eggplant, potato, and tomato. It is the fruit of this plant, often simply called “mawaeng” in Thai pharmacies, that’s prized as a gentle expectorant, cough soother, and phlegm reliever in the traditional Thai pharmacopoeia (thaiherbinfo.com).

Mawaengton, also known in Thai as มะแว้งต้น, is a native shrub found across rural Thailand. Its round, greenish-black fruit has long been valued in traditional medicine as a gentle cough reliever and phlegm expeller. Today, researchers are exploring Solanum indicum L. to better understand how this traditional remedy works and where it might fit in modern care.

Across Thailand’s regions, the plant goes by several names, including มะแค้งขม and มะแค้งดำ in the North and Northeast. The fruit is a familiar sight in fresh markets and shops that sell herbal remedies. As with close relatives in the nightshade family, the mawaeng fruit is celebrated for soothing coughs and throat irritation when used in tea, chews, or lozenges. Thai pharmacies often refer to the fruit simply as “mawaeng,” reflecting its central role in traditional pharmacopoeia. In recent years, these lozenges—made with mawaengton and other local botanicals such as holy basil and turmeric—have gained official recognition in Thailand’s regulatory framework.