Medicinal Uses of Sodom Apple I

Calotropis procera, 

   

Welcome dear readers, today I bring you the first post about  uses of Calotropis procera; this multipurpose tree commonly known as Madar, Sodom Apple, Ak,Akra, Milk weed, and some more.
     Calotropis procera belongs to the family Asclepiadaceae with 180 genera and 2200 species distributed mainly in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. 
    Plant grows in sandy and excessively drained soils, derelict lands and can withstand a wide range of soil texture and eco‑climatic changes.
   C. procera is mentioned in Ved Sushruta (about 800-900 AD), as “Arkaputra” or “Arka prana due to presence of its shining leaves. This mean that the Plant is under use since ancient time in Indian traditional system of medicine mainly for treatment of leprosy, ulcers, tumors, piles and diseases of spleen, liver and abdomen. 

    This Plant also shows great ethnopharmacology use and its root bark powder is traditionally used by Gwari communities to kill intestinal mainly nematodes and filarial worms. The root bark also promotes secretion,  bronchitis, dyspepsia, paralysis, swellings, intermittent fevers, anorexia, dyspepsia, inflammations, tumors, elephantiasis and rheumatism. Root extract is used to treat headache, severe body pain, malarial fever and convulsion, eczema, leprosy, elephantiasis, asthma and cough; root charcoal bland with oil is applied over skin to treat syphilis and leprosy and is also used to treat skin diseases, enlargements of abdominal viscera, flatulence, anorexia and indigestion.  It is also used as a coagulation agent for cheese making in West Africa. 

Pain killer. Take 3 or 5 leaves of Calotropis procera, impregnate them with castor oil, using low fire warm them, when they start to chage of color, take off from fire and apply externally in the afected zone, are good to reduce backache and joint pains, it also works for stomach ache and swellings. They must be warm, not too hot. A poultice of the leaves is applied to cure rheumatism, filariasis, wounds, glandular swellings, arthralgia, intermittent fevers, eczema, pigmentation and other skin inflammations .

 If you liked this information follow the blog and do not miss the next post about other medicinal use of this amazing plant.

REFERENCES. 
1.- Traditional Uses of Medicinal Plants of Asclepiadaceae by Rural People In Madurai District, Tamil Nadu, India. In Science Alert. 
 2.- Calotropis procera (Madar): A Medicinal Plant of Various Therapeutic Uses-A Review. In Bulletin of Environment, Pharmacology and Life Sciences. 
3.-Actividad Ribonucleasa en el Látex de Calotropis procera (Aiton) W.T. Aiton y Pedilanthus tithymaloides (L.) Poit 
4.-Calotropis procera - (Aiton) W.T.Aiton 
5.-Latex proteins from Calotropis procera: Toxicity and immunological tolerance revisited.   
6.-Proteins from latex of Calotropis procera prevent septic shock due to lethal infection by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium.  
7.-Fresh Cheese “Peulh Type”: Characterization and Sensory Aspects.