Calotropis

Calotropis gigantea

Scientific Classification Kingdom: Plantae (unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Asterids Order: Gentianales Family: Apocynaceae Subfamily: Asclepiadoideae Tribe: Asclepiadeae Subtribe: Asclepiadinae Genus: Calotropi

Calotropis is a genus of flowering plants in the dogbane family, Apocynaceae, first described as a genus in 1810. It is native to southern Asia and North Africa.

They are commonly known as milkweeds because of the latex they produce. Calotropis species are considered common weeds in some parts of the world. The flowers are fragrant and are often used in making floral tassels in some mainland Southeast Asian cultures. Fibers of these plants are called madar or mader. Calotropis species are usually found in abandoned farmland.

Botanical description

Calotropis gigantea and C. procera are the two most common species in the genus. Calotropis gigantea grows to a height of 8 to 10 ft (2.4 to 3.0 m) while C. procera grows to about 3 to 6 ft (0.91 to 1.83 m). The leaves are sessile and sub-sessile, opposite, ovate, cordate at the base. The flowers are about 1.5 to 2 in (3.8 to 5.1 cm) in size, with umbellate lateral cymes and are colored white to pink and are fragrant in case of C. procera while the flowers of C. gigantea are without any fragrance and are white to purple colored, but in rarer cases are also light green-yellow or white. The seeds are compressed, broadly ovoid, with a tufted micropylar coma of long silky hair.

 Pollinations performed by bees (entomophily) by the following mechanism:

The stigmas and androeciums are fused to form a gynostegium. The pollen are enclosed in pollinia (a coherent mass of pollen grains). The pollinia are attached to an adhesive glandular disc at the stigmatic angle. When a bee lands on one of these, the disc adheres to its legs, and the pollinium is detached from the flower when the bee flies away. When the bee visits another flower, the flower is pollinated by the adhering pollinium on the bee.

Species

1. Calotropis acia Buch.-Ham. - India

2. Calotropis gigantea (L.) Dryand. - China, Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia

3. Calotropis procera (Aiton) Dryand. - China, Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, Middle East, North Africa

The plant is known as arka (Sanskrit) in Ayurveda. The latex is said to have mercury-like effects on the human body, and is some times referred to as vegetable mercury.Sometimes leaves are fried in oil for medicinal purposes.

Common and Botanical Names of Calotropis gigantea

The botanical name of White Madar is Calotropis gigantea and belongs to the family Asclepiadeceae.

The common names include White Madar, Sooryahvaya, Vella Erukku, Aka, Mandara, Svetarka, Arka, Asphoda, Vasuka, Alarka, etc.

In Tamil, it is called as Erukku.

Primary Medicinal Uses:-

Remedy for poisonous snake bitesIf bitten by poisonous snakes, few leaves of the plant are plucked and chewed. Alternatively, the roots of the plant are crushed and the juice is applied over the bitten area.FeverJuice is extracted from Calotropis gigantea leaves and mixed with equal quantity of honey. When consumed, it cures fever. The body temperature comes down immediately.Intestinal WormsJuice is extracted from the leaves and mixed with honey and consumed. The worms in the intestines get killed.Stomach ulcersThe leaves of Calotropis gigantea are dried and powdered. They can be applied externally over the stomach to heal ulcers.Rheumatic disordersThe plants of Calotropis gigantea have latex in them. This latex can be taken and applied over the infected area. This could be swellings or rat bitten areas or other disorder infected area. The latex can also be applied over the dental area for any toothrelated problems.

PurgativeWhite Madar acts as a strong purgative. It cleans the unwanted waste contained in the stomach and makes the stomach clean.Stomach DisordersErukku is also very effective in curing various stomach disorders. The herb boosts the functions of the various organs in the body. They have the ability to expel the unwanted waste from the body very effectively. They are also very effective in curing dysentry.Nerve disordersThe latex from the plant is taken and applied over the body to cure nerve disorders. The herb impacts a calm nature to the mind.AsthmaThe flowers of the herb Erukku or White Madar have high medicinal value in treating asthma.RejuvenativeThe herb increases the blood circulation in the body. It increases the energy levels. It keeps the mind calm, energizes the nerves and provides youthful feeling.AbortionThe herb has been used for inducing abortions in India. The leaves of the plant were inserted into the cervix so that it causes labor pains and induces abortion.Skin DisordersThe oil extracted from the herb is used to treat skin problems like eczema, ringworm, etc. It also cures the bites caused due to insects or scorpions.

Additional Uses

Floral Decorations:-

The flowers of Calotropis gigantea are widely used as floral decorations. In some countries like Cambodia, the flowers are used as decorations in funerals..

Precautions:-• The medicine should be consumed only in small quantities. If taken in excess, it induces vomiting.

•Pregnant women should not consume this, since it induces abortion.