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Health benefits of Crown Flower Plant

Crown flower Quick Facts
Name: Crown flower
Scientific Name: Calotropis gigantea
Origin Continental Asia and South-East Asia and has been introduced in the Pacific Islands, Australia, Central and northern South America and Africa
Colors Light green colored
Shapes Pair of follicles, each follicle ovoid, boat-shaped, inflated, 6.5–10 cm long and 3–5 cm wide, many-seeded
Taste Bitter, salty, astringent
Health benefits Treat Diabetes, Good anti-inflammatory nature, Rid Blemishes of the skin, Treat Ear pain, Helps bowel movement, Improve speed of healing, Excellent vermifuge, Antidote for snake poison, Relief for a toothache, Relief from gastritis
Calotropis gigantea, commonly called crown flower or giant milkweed, is a large shrub or small tree belonging to Asclepiadaceae or Milkweed or Ak family which includes 280 genera and 2,000 species of world-wide distribution but most abundant in the sub-tropics and tropics, and rare in cold countries. The plant is native to continental Asia and South-East Asia and has been introduced in the Pacific Islands, Australia, Central and northern South America and Africa as an ornamental near villages and temples and as a weed. In Africa it is recorded from Gabon, DR Congo, Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, Angola and Mozambique, as well as from Seychelles and Mauritius.

The name of the genus is the combination of the Greek adjective “καλός” (kalós) which means beautiful and of the substantive “τρόπις” (trópis) that means keel, with reference to the shape of segment of the staminal crown.  The specific name is the Latin adjective “giganteus, a, um” which means huge, with obvious reference. Apart from crown flower it is also known as Giant Milkweed, Crown Flower, Giant Calotrope, Swallow-wort, Calotropis gigantean, Biduri, Indian milkweed, Kapal kapal, Kayu berduri, Kemengu, Lechoso, Pua kalaunu, Rak-dok, Rembaga, Remiga, Widuri, Bow-string hemp, Crown-flower, Akon, bowstring hemp, calotrope, crownplant, giant milkweed and giant rubber bush.

Plant description

Crown flower is an attractive, fast-growing, large flowering shrub or small evergreen tree that grows about 5 meters tall, occasionally to 10 meters. The plant is found growing in roadsides, disturbed areas, watercourses, river flats, dry coastal areas, along the sheltered shores of lagoons, overgrazed pasture land, hot, sunny, dry environments, wasteland, urban open spaces, fallow land, croplands, gullies, lowlands and floodplains. The plant succeeds in a variety of soils, but prefers littoral, sandy soils. Plants can also thrive in dry sands.

Root bark

The  tap  roots  are  found  to  be  having prominent tops with rounded head and rest of the  portion  spirally  curved.  These hard roots are grayish white in color and exhibit sap exudations at the places where bark has been cut. The bark of the older roots is cracked at places. The bark is yellowish grey outside and yellowish white inside. The upper cork portion is spongy and rough while the inner portion of bark is smooth and mucilaginous. The dried bark is bitter to taste.

Leaves

The opposite leaves are oblong obovate to nearly orbicular, short-pointed to blunt at the apex and have very short petioles below a nearly clasping, heart-shaped base. The leaf blades are light to dark green with nearly white veins. They are 7 to 18 cm long and 5 to 13 cm broad, slightly leathery, and have a fine coat of soft hairs that rub off. Leaves are pale green above, whitish green below, due to the presence of a fine down, and with prominent veins. The tender leaves are covered with ashy gray pubescence. Mature leaves are nearly smooth or even glabrous.

Flower

The inflorescences, on a robust, 5-16 cm long, peduncle, are axillar umbelliform cymes bearing numerous flowers, on a 2-5 cm long tomentose pedicel. Flowers are regular, bisexual, liliac or pale rose, purple or light greenish yellow and have a faint odor. They  are  arranged  in  simple  or  rarely compound cymose corymbs at the ends of laterally  placed  or  interpetiolar  peduncles arising from  alternate  sides  of  the  nodes.  Each cluster is surrounded by an involucre of several small oblong pointed scaly caducous bracts.  Flower buds are ovoid.

Calyx

Calyx has five lobes broadly ovate with small fleshy teeth like glands within the base.

Corolla

Corolla is regular, gamopetalous, pale rose purple or liliac, sub cordate to broadly sub- campanulate with a short tube and five broad ovate, lanceolate, valvate, spreading lobes.

Stamens

About five stamens are inserted at the base of the Coro. Filaments united to form a large stamina column provided  with  five  conspicuous radiating  coronal appendages  that  are completely adnate to,  but slightly  shorter  than the  column.  The appendages are fleshy, pale purplish or yellowish white and laterally compressed with a circinnately recurved hollow corsal spur at base and two short obtuse obliquely divergent cuticles towards the top just below the apex. Anthers are short, broad, and somewhat horny with broadly triangular membranous anther tips that are inflexed over the sides of the stigmatic hood. Flowering normally takes place from March to October.

Fruits

Fertile flowers are followed by spongy, ellipsoid follicles in pair, curved, 5-10 cm long and of 2.5-5 cm of diameter, containing several seeds. They split opens to release ovate, flat seeds, about 0.6 cm long and 0.4 cm broad, equipped at one end with a tuft of silky hairs, 2-4 cm long, that favor their dispersion through the wind.

Ethno medicinal uses of different plant parts of Calotropis gigantea

S. No Plant Parts used Preparation Uses
1.         Whole plant In Nigeria traditional medicine, C. gigantea is either used alone or with other herbs To treat common diseases such as fever, rheumatism, cold, diarrhea, indigestion and eczema
2.         Whole Plant Whole plant is used In boils and also to remove thorn from body.
3.         Whole Plant Ash of whole plant For the treatment of jaundice
4.         Whole plant The alcoholic extracts of the root and leaves of C. gigantea Is used as coloring material.
5.         Root Chloroform root extract of Calotropis gigantea Were found to have anti-cancer activity against human epidermal carcinoma of the naso-pharynx tissue culture.
6.         Root Root is used as Digestive agent
7.         Root Root is used to treat Induced acute and chronic liver injury by carbon tetrachloride.
8.         Root Extract of root is taken orally by the tribal ladies. Hydrocede, in headache, severe body pain, malarial fever and convulsion
9.         Root The root powder is mixed with butter and this ointment is applied to. Eczema, leprosy, elephantiasis, asthma, cough and rheumatism.
10.     Root given with black pepper To relieve filarial
11.     Root The paste of root bark In dysmenorrhea, Dysentery.
12.     Root The root bark powder is used Rabid dog bite and on the paralyzed limbs
13.     Root bark Root bark powder Protracted labor and also used for spleen complaints, elephantiasis, rheumatism,
14.     Root bark The bark of root is taken out and mixed with a minute dose of arsenic and given in the form of a pi In the treatment of Diarrhea and dysentery. In case of diarrhea it changes the fecal matter into a semisolid mass with in the first day of treatment
15.     Root bark Stem used as tooth brush Is used to treat diarrhea and dysentery and it is an excellent substitute for ipecac.
16.     Root Bark Latex is mixed with Sodium Chloride and warmed on hot slow heating. During heating continuous stirring should be done. One microgram given orally thrice a day. Traditionally it is used to treat cholera, extracting guinea worms and indigestion.
17.     Root Bark The latex applied locally During the course of this treatment, prepared from the whole plant Swertia Chirayita is also taken. For the treatment of skin diseases, enlargements of abdominal viscera and intestinal worms.

 

18.     Stem Dried powered leaves can be dusted over wounds, ulcers and old sores To people suffering from leprosy.
19.     Stem Latex In morning, before sunrise, tender leaves were given in a capsule with water on an empty stomach. After treatment for three days Used as tonic, antispasmodic, and expectorant and in large doses emetic.
20.     Stem Latex Mature leaves of C. gigantea along with urine of the patient concerned are filled in an air tight earthen pot. After ten days, a cloth wet in this urine is applied on To enhance amylase activity.
21.     Stem latex Leaves of Calotropis gigantea are used

 

As Tooth brush having the property of curing toothache
22.     Stem Bark Leaves used as To the patient of tuberculosis
23.     Leaves Leaf extracts mixed with oil on heat.

Leaves are smoked.

Leaf and black pepper used

To cure Leucoderma
24.     Leaves Young leaves are crushed and the juice is expressed on the palms of the person venomated. It is allowed to be there for five minutes and is sniffed. If immediately sneezing starts the snake is declared to be poisonous As an antidote in rabies
25.     Leaves Milk of goat feeding on leaves of C. gigantea is given to infants Used as tonic and stimulant.
26.     Leaves The fresh leaves of the plant are warmed and are applied as poultice To prompt healing.
27.     Leaves Leaves are pounded with castor oil and banded over knee joints All patients suffering from migraine headaches got relief.
28.     Leaves Fresh leaves are roasted in the ghee or oil and applied on the As a nematicide in vitro and in vivo.
29.     Leaves leaves mixed with turmeric, honey and karanji was applied as a paste Bones/ parts affected from Sinus fistula.
30.     Leaves Powder of 5g dried leaves mixed with gur given orally before sunrise for 5 days. To treat fever

 

31.     Leaves Leaf latex is externally applied twice a day for 2-3 days Hydrocede, headache, severe body pain, malarial fever and convulsion.
32.     Leaves Leaf latex is used to Used for joints and waist pain
33.     Leaves Small quantity of fresh latex is applied over For asthma
34.     Leaves Leaf latex is used as antidote To cure malarial fever.
35.     Leaves Calotropin isolated from latex is used as a remedy for Eczema, leprosy, elephantiasis, asthma, cough and rheumatism.
36.     Leaves Latex is anti-syphilitic and is also To confirm whether the snake that had bitten the person was poisonous or not
37.     Leaves Milky latex is locally applied in the treatment of To cure asthma.
38.     Leaves Preparations from latex with honey are used as In rheumatism, gout and to relieve pains.
39.     Leaves Latex is applied Against rheumatism, asthma and also used as sedative.
40.     Leaf latex Latex is, either taken internally or locally to the mouth of uterus with the aid of a stick well coated with juice. To get relief from joint pain.
41.     Leaf Latex A single dose of the aqueous suspension of the dried latex was effective to a significant level against the To apply on ulcers
42.     Leaf Latex Topical application of 20 micro liters of 1% sterile solution of the latex of Calotropis gigantea twice daily for 7 days For washing clothes.
43.     Leaf Latex Pills of a black gram size are made from one tablespoonful of latex mixed with 20g sugar and 1g calcium carbonate. One pill twice a day given for three days is said Swelling part of body.
44.     Leaf Latex Latex of the plant is filled in spaces between nails and finger tips of patient twice daily for a few days to cure conjunctivitis. To cure flatulence, anorexia, indigestion and intestinal worm infestation
45.     Leaf Latex Latex is applied On the wounds
46.     Latex Latex is used To cure migraine
47.     Latex Take 26 gm. of lahori salt, put it in an earthen pot, add Calotropis milk so that the salt dipped in to it, and cover earthen pot mouth and heat up. Grind it and use the powder externally for gum bleeding with small amount of HCL. It is effective for Sores, skin diseases, inflammation and rheumatic joints
48.     Latex 4 to 5 drops of fresh latex of the plant is dropped over the injured portion as an antiseptic in the To treat pain in any part of the body
49.     Latex Used as Treat scorpion and snake bite. Leaf latex is applied on bitten area.
50.     Latex Latex is topically used as The wart affected area.
51.     Latex Latex of Calotropis gigantea and Mangifera indica mixed with one drop of conc. HCL is applied locally as an For Scorpion bite. Fresh leaves are cut and the excluding latex applied to affected area.
52.     Latex Latex and leaves mixed with turmeric, honey and karanji was applied as a paste. Black scars on face; boils, cold, cough, asthma, ear ache, eczema, skin eruptions, inflammatory lesions, pain of the body, rheumatism, syphilis, leprosy and edema.
53.     Latex Pills of the size of a black gram are made from the paste obtained by mixing 6gm flower buds with 7-8 black pepper seeds and 3gm salt. Two pills are given twice daily for three days. Inserted in to painful tooth cavities and applied to various skin complaints.
54.     Latex Internal part of flower and sugar used for Cutaneous diseases such as ringworm, syphilitic sores and leprosy.
55.     Latex Powder of dried flowers of Calotropis gigantea grind along with Papaver somniferum and Eletteria cardomomum (20gm each), called Tally, used three times daily (about one teaspoonful) Anti-rabies and also in the treatment of toothache and cough.
56.     Latex The leaves and flowers are crushed and the paste is mixed with honey On ringworm and eczema, affected area becomes black after the application due to its burning effect
57.     Latex Flowers of this plant are used Used for abortion
58.     Latex About 12 gm stigmas are added to 5-8 black pepper, 3 gm black salt and opium (equal to one seed of mustard) and make into pills of the size of black pepper. One pill three times daily to given with hot water for three times a days Acute inflammatory response.
59.     Latex Take 3 gm. of Calotropis seeds, 18 gm. of red chili seeds and 6 gm. opium. Grind all of these and mix it in one teaspoon of ginger and half cup of onion water, if unavailable then use syrup of sugar and citrus medica water. For wound healing potential.
60.     Latex   To cure arthritis
61.     Latex   In toothache
62.     Latex   As antiseptic
63.     Flower   Gum bleeding and salt
64.     Flower   Skin infection
65.     Flower   Cholera and leprosy.
66.     Flower   Purgative and used in dysentery.
67.     Flower   Odontalgic.
68.     Flower   Various skin diseases also act as purgative.
69.     Flower   Antidote in scorpion bite.
70.     Flower   Relieve inflammation and snake bite to neutralize poison.
71.     Stigma   Tooth ache, ringworm and also for removing face darkness.
72.     Seed   Cytotoxicity of human colo-rectal carcinoma cell line and displayed the strong cyto-toxic activity
In malaria fever
To get relief from migraine.
Abdominal diseases and asthma.
To remove dandruff from the hair.
To cure cholera and severe dysentery.
To cure flatulence, anorexia, indigestion and intestinal worm infestation.
In piles and asthmatic problems.
To treat cholera.
It is useful in cholera

 

Percentage of ethno medicinal uses of different plant parts of C. gigantea against total number of uses

Plant Parts Number of Uses Percentages of Uses
1.       Whole Plant 4 5.19
2.       Root 10 12.98
3.       Root Bark 6 7.79
4.       Stem 2 2.59
5.       Stem Latex 2 2.59
6.       Leaf 19 24.67
7.       Leaf Latex 3 3.89
8.       Latex 22 28.57
9.       Flower 7 9.09
10.   Stigma 1 1.29
11.   Seed 1 1.29

 

Health benefits of Crown flower

Listed below are some of the well-known health benefits of using Crown flower

1. Treat Diabetes

It is curious to know that Crown flower has certain anti-diabetic agents that are hailed for having the good influence on Diabetes. Recent study quote that the leaves and flower of Crown flower have some potential anti-diabetic agents that can treat diabetes with ease. It has certain properties that can enhance the sensitivity of insulin and stimulate the production of inulin simultaneously.

2. Good anti-inflammatory nature

The anti-inflammatory nature of Crown flower helps us treat inflammatory diseases such as gout and rheumatism. Warm the crushed leaves and apply it on painful joints for immediate relief.

3. Rid Blemishes of the skin

You may apply the latex of the plant mixed with turmeric to the facial skin to get rid of discoloration and blemishes. You can add suitable churna and cure vitiligo.

4. Treat Ear pain

To get a cure for ear disorders or pain in the ear, use yellow Crown flower leaves. Wash the leaves in water and extract the juice after you dry them. To 1 tablespoon of the juice, add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. Add Cinnamon, asafoetida, calamus, and garlic (1/4 teaspoon each) to the mixture.

Cool, strain, and store it for use as ear drops. Or, you can use the leaves roasted with ghee to make the juice. Then, use it as ear drops. You can also cure deafness by taking the juice from a yellow leaf and putting it in the ear.

5. Helps bowel movement

The preparations of the Crown flower plant help ease constipation.

6. Improve speed of healing

Calotropis Gigantea helps improve the healing of the superficial wounds on the skin.

7. Excellent vermifuge

Like the flower, the Crown flower’s leaves also find use in curing worm infestations.

8. Cure for boils

Take the latex of the Calotropis Gigantea tree. Mix it with turmeric and apply it on the affected area.

9. Hypoglycemic effect

The Crown flower leaves find a use for controlling the high levels of sugar in the blood.

10. Vomit therapy

Latex of the Crown flower’s leaves can cause vomiting and purgation. Hence, it finds use in purgation and vomiting therapy.

11. Cure foot blister

You get immediate relief for foot blister by applying the latex of the Crown flower tree.

12. Cure cholera

Take the dried bark of the Crown flower plant and powder it. To this, we add pepper powder and ginger juice. We roll it into small tablets the size of a pea. Take the tablet every two hours with mint juice. This will help cure the fever.

13. Antidote for snake poison

During the olden times, people chewed the leaves of the Calotropis Gigantea plant and applied the latex over the wound of a snake bite.

14. Relief for a toothache

We apply the latex on the gums to get relief from a toothache.

15. Relief from gastritis

They process the leaves of the Crown flower plant and use it to get relief from gastritis.

16. Cure for chronic diarrhea and indigestion

Use the preparations of the Crown flower plant to cure diarrhea that is long lasting. It settles the stomach and helps augment the digestive process.

17. Use as an abortifacient

Milky discharge of the Crown flower plant is an abortifacient. So, women who want to abort their child will use the latex preparations.

18. Spasmogenic property

The preparations of the plant are capable of Spasmogenic effect. So, it finds use in the treatment of a variety of diseases.

19. Treat sexually transmitted diseases

People use the white flowers of the Crown flower plant for treating diseases such as syphilis.

20. Good anti-fungal property

You can treat diseases such as candida by using the Sodom plant preparations. The medicine can prove poisonous if you overdose so be careful.

Traditional uses and benefits of Crown flower (Sodom)

Ayurvedic Health benefits of Crown flower

Other Facts

Precautions

References:

https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=506010#null

http://www.hear.org/pier/species/calotropis_gigantea.htm

https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Calotropis+gigantea

https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/16847

https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=276827&isprofile=0&

https://indiabiodiversity.org/species/show/32452

http://www.narc.gov.jo/gringlobal/taxonomydetail.aspx?id=8652

http://luirig.altervista.org/schedenam/fnam.php?taxon=Calotropis+gigantea

http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-2693661

https://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/media/Html/calotropis_gigantea.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calotropis_gigantea

https://www.monaconatureencyclopedia.com/calotropis-gigantea-2/?lang=en

https://gd.eppo.int/taxon/CTRGI

https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/ca82/a0c618880673723a32de3433c9e5b9f73035.pdf

http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Calotropis+gigantea

https://uses.plantnet-project.org/en/Calotropis_gigantea_(PROTA)

http://www.ethnoleaflets.com/leaflets/calotrop2.htm

https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/CropFactSheets/calotropis.html

https://www.ejpmr.com/admin/assets/article_issue/1472639505.pdf

http://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Crown%20Flower.html

https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=CAGI11

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