Description
CALOTROPIS PROCERA
Calotropis procera is a species of flowering plant in the family Apocynaceae that is native to North Africa, tropical Africa, Western Asia, South Asia and Indochina. The green fruits contain a toxic milky sap that is extremely bitter and turns into a gluey coating which is resistant to soap.
People use the bark and root bark for medicine. Despite serious safety concerns, calotropis is used for digestive disorders including diarrhea, constipation and stomach ulcers; for painful conditions including toothache, cramps, and joint pain; and for parasitic infections including elephantiasis and worms.
Traditionally, the powdered root is used to treat bronchitis, asthma, leprosy, eczema, elephantiasis while the latex s used to, treat vertigo, baldness, hair loss, toothache, intermittent fevers, rheumatoid/joint swellings, and paralysis, The leaves are usedto treat joint pain, and reduce swelling.
Common names for the plant include Apple of Sodom, Sodom apple, stabragh, king’s crown, rubber bush, and rubber tree. The name Apple of Sodom and Dead Sea Apple comes from the fact that the ancient authors Josephus and Tacitus described it as growing in the area of biblical Sodom.
