Auricula Tree, Dead Sea Apple, Sodom Apple

Calotropis procera

Physical Characteristics

Calotropis procera is an evergreen Shrub growing to 4 m (13ft) by 4 m (13ft) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 9 and is not frost tender. The flowers are pollinated by Insects. The plant is not self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in saline soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.

Distribution

Tropical Africa through Arabia to the Indian subcontinent, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Habitats

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves Sap Shoots Edible Uses: Drink The flower shoots are eaten young and raw. The leaves are occasionally eaten. The leaves are used for making an alcoholic drink. In Ethiopia the sap is added to milk to help it coagulate. The leaves have been used as a soup ingredient in sauces[ 617 ]. A rather strange report - see the notes above on toxicity[ K ].

Medicinal Uses

Anthelmintic Antiasthmatic Antibacterial Antidiarrhoeal Cathartic Digestive Diuretic Dysentery Emetic Laxative Leprosy Mouthwash Odontalgic Ophthalmic Purgative Rubefacient Skin Tonic Vermifuge Compounds derived from the plant have been found to have emetic-cathartic and digitalic properties. The principal active compounds are asclepin and mudarin[ 303 ]. Other compounds have been found to have bactericidal and vermicidal propertie[ 303 ]. The root bark is an emetic[ 303 ]. An infusion of bark powder is used in the treatment and cure of leprosy and elephantiasis[ 46 , 266 , 303 ]. It is inadvisable to use bark that has been kept for more than a year[ 303 ]. The extremely poisonous roots are used in the treatment of snakebites[ 303 ]. The leaves are used for the treatment of asthma[ 266 ]. The milky sap is used as a rubefacient and is also strongly purgative and caustic[ 303 ]. The latex is used for treating ringworm, guinea worm blisters, scorpion stings, venereal sores and ophthalmic disorders[ 303 ], it is also used as a laxative[ 303 ]. Its use in India in the treatment of skin diseases has caused severe bullous dermatitis leading sometimes to hypertrophic scars[ 303 ]. The local effect of the latex on the conjunctiva is congestion, epiphora and local anaesthesia[ 303 ]. The latex contains a proteolytic enzyme called caloptropaine[ 303 ]. The flower is digestive and tonic[ 303 ]. It is used in the treatment of asthma and catarrh[ 303 ]. The twigs are applied for the preparation of diuretics, stomach tonic and anti-diarrhoetics and for asthma[ 303 ]. Also used in abortion, as an anthelmintic, for colic, cough, whooping cough, dysentery, headache, lice treatment, jaundice, sore gums and mouth, toothache, sterility, swellings and ulcers[ 303 ].

Known Hazards

The juice of the plant is poisonous - it has been used as an infanticide in Africa[ 46 ]. Both the bark and the latex are widely used as arrow and spear poisons[ 303 ]. The latex is cardiotoxic with the active ingredient being calotropin[ 303 ]. (Parts of plant are poisonous if ingested All parts of plant are poisonous if ingested Handling plant may cause skin irritation or allergic reaction )