Calotropis gigantea (L.)
Vernacular name: Safed aak, Mandaar
Species Name: Calotropis gigantea (L.) W.T.Aiton
Family: Apocynaceae
Habit: Shrub
Stem: Gregarious, young branches covered with white, cottony hairs, contains milky latex
Leaf: Simple, Entire, decussate, obovate, subsessile
Flowering: November-April
Flowers: Umbellate cyme inflorescence, bisexual flowers, White, Gynostegium present, pollens unite to form Pollinia
Fruit: A pair of follicles
Uses:
- The root, bark, and milk used in medicine for the treatment of dysentery cutaneous affections.
- The leaves are applied on paralyzed parts and painful joints.
- The milk is useful for leprosy and ringworm.
- Dried parts of plant are used to treat cold, chronic cough, asthma and indigestion.
- Extracted herbal oils are applied externally to alleviated the ache in joints and muscles.
- Extracts from different part of plant are used in treatment of ulcers, eczema and leprosy like disease.
- Tincture extracted from plant is widely used in homeopathy to treat skin pigmentation, respiratory and digestive problems and joint inflammation.
- The flowers are used in worshipping lord Shiva and leaves are offered to lord Hanuman.
- A strong fiber is derived from inner stem that is used kin making of fishing nets and ropes where as fiber extracted from seeds are used to stuff pillows.
