Spices & Medicinal herbs

HERBS	Angelica :: Aloe Vera :: Basil :: Chamomile :: Chives :: Coriander :: Dill :: Lemon Balm :: Musli :: Oregano :: Stevia
SPICES	Ajwain :: Allspice :: Bay Leaf :: Black Cardamon :: Green Cardamon :: Cinnamon :: Cloves :: Cumin :: Cayenne Pepper
VEGETABLES	Amaranth :: Breadfruit :: Brocolli :: Cauliflower :: Cucumber :: Drumstick :: Hijiki :: Garlic

Herbs Classifical of Herbs Herbs by Common Name Herbs by Property List of Herbs Alfalfa Allspice Aloe Vera Angelica Anise Annatto Arugula Agrimony Apple mint Asafoetida Avens Barberry Basil Bistort Boneset Bog Labrador Tea Borage Boldo Candle nut Capsicum Coriander Caraway Calamus Chamomile Chickweed Chives Cleavers Dill Echinacea Flax Fennel Lavender Kali Musli Lemon Balm Musli Oregano Stevia Spices Vegetables

Herb : Apple of Sodom

(Botanical name: Calotropis procera)

Classification

• Kingdom- Plantae
• Subkingdom- Tracheobionta
• Division- Magnoliophyta
• Class- Magnoliopsida
• Subclass- Asteridae
• Order- Gentianales
• Family- Asclepiadaceae
• Genus- Calotropis
• Species- C.procera

History

Calotropis procera is better known as apple Sodom or rubber bush in many countries. It is prized for its medicinal properties.

It is considered sacred plant and leaves of this plant are used in worship in ancient times.

Apple of Sodom is found in many parts of the world today, and in India it can be seen from Punjab and Rajasthan to Assam and kanyakumari.

Plant Description

Calotropis is a perennial small shrub of about 4 m that produces milky sap when cut or pealed.

The leaves of this tree are opposite, green-grey, large upto 15cm long and 10cm wide with blunt tipped two rounded basal lobes with no leaf stalk.

The flowers are waxy white consist of 5 petals with purple tipped inside and a central purplish crown carried in stalked clusters at the end of the branches.

Calotropis bears a big fruit that is green-grey coloured and 8 to 10 cm long which contains number of seeds with tufts of long silky hairs at one end.

Cultivation

Calotropis is basically a weed that grows near roadsides, disturbed areas, water ways and riversides.

It probably found in dry areas and can be thrive on poor soil. It is propagated by seeds which diffuse by wind and water.

It is cultivated from India to Iran and Africa.

Parts Used

Fruit, leaves, bark

Constituents

The principal constituents are mudarine, acid, resin and 3 glycosides- calotropin, uscharin and calotoxin.

The latex contains powerful bacteriolytic enzyme2 and toxic glycoside calactin, calotropin D1, calotropin D2, calotropin F1 and calotropin F2.

Uses

• Though a very toxic herb it is used widely for medicinal, laxative, healing and anthemintic properties.
• It helps in curing ulcers and act as expectorant. Hindu physicians have been using the secretion from the root bark which treats skin diseases, intestinal parasites, cough, abscises and enlargement of abdominal viscera.
• The milky juice produced by this plant is purgative and caustic. Flowers help to improve indigestion, catarrh and appetite.
• The root bark is also used for cure elephantiasis in south India.
• The leaves boiled with oil used to treat paralysis and the crushed leaves are used in wound healing.
• The juice is taken by women that work as an abortifacient to induce abortion.

Names

• English-: Apple of Sodom, rubber bush, swallow-wort, giant milkweed, Dead Sea apple
• Sanskrit-: Arka, Alarka
• Hindi-: Akada, Aak, Mudar