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Calotropis Procera,
commonly known as aak in Ayurveda is a
traditional medicinal plant of India with
unique properties. It belongs to the family
of Asclepiadaceae. Aak is an evergreen
perennial shrub which contain white to pink
color flowers with purple tips. It is
commonly found in most of the parts of the
country. It is grown for medicinal,
economic, ornamental uses.
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This genus plant produces a milky sap which
is poisonous and have digitalis-like
compounds that affect the heart. It said to
have a mercury like effects on the human
body, hence is some times referred to as
vegetable mercury and is used in place of
mercury in aphrodisiacs. Medicinally, the
acrid sap latex is used to treat boils,
infected wounds and other skin problems in
people, and to treat parasitic skin
infestations in animals. Traditionally, aak
is used alone or with other medicinal plants
to treat common disease such as fevers,
rheumatism, indigestion, cough, cold,
eczema, asthma, elephantiasis, nausea,
vomiting, diarrhea. According to Ayurveda,
dried whole plant is a good tonic,
expectorant, depurative, and anthelmintic.
The dried root bark is febrifuge,
anthelmintic, depurative, expectorant, and
laxative. The powdered root is useful in
asthama, bronchitis, and dyspepsia and the
leaves are useful in the treatment of
paralysis, arthralegia, swellings, and
intermittent fevers. The flowers are bitter,
digestive, astringent, stomachic,
anthelmintic, and tonic in nature.
Calotropis is also a reputed Homoeopathic
drug. It also yields ash for making
gunpowder, and extremely strong fiber. |
