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 ofCalotropis 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 bites

If 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.
Fever
Juice 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 Worms
Juice is extracted from the leaves and mixed with honey and consumed. The worms in the intestines
get killed.
Stomach ulcers
The leaves of Calotropis gigantea are dried and powdered. They can be applied externally over the
stomach to heal ulcers.
Rheumatic disorders
The 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.

Purgative
White Madar acts as a strong purgative. It cleans the unwanted waste contained in the stomach and
makes the stomach clean.
Stomach Disorders
Erukku 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 disorders
The latex from the plant is taken and applied over the body to cure nerve disorders. The herb impacts a
calm nature to the mind.
Asthma
The flowers of the herb Erukku or White Madar have high medicinal value in treating asthma.
Rejuvenative
The 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.
Abortion
The 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 Disorders
The 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.