Abstract

SIGNIFICANCE OF VEGETATIVE POISON ARKA (CALOTROPIS PROCERA) AND ITS STANDARDIZATION, METHODS OF DETECTION AND MEDICOLEGAL IMPORTANCE

Tumram Arvind C.* and Gramopadhye N. G.

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Abstract

Standardization of herbal drugs is the need of the hour as the use and practice of traditional medicine has increased tremendously. Calotropis procera is a plant with multifaceted biological characteristics that make it a medicinally important species. It is well known for their pharmacological properties, since it produces large amount of latex. The leaves are said to be valuable as an antidote for snake bite, sinus fistula, rheumatism, mumps, injuries and body pain. The latex of Calotropis procera contains several toxic compounds having irritant and pro-inflammatory properties. Toxicological manifestations are described in both Ayurveda as well as modern science. It should only be used after thorough research on the plant because it has both therapeutic and harmful effects on humans. In the present study, an attempt has been made to standardize the Arka leaves and latex as per pharmacopoeial testing protocol and also to set out standard procedure for screening test for calotropis poison in a stepwise manner.

Keywords: Ayurveda, Agadtantra, Arka, Calotropis. Dugdha, Detection.