Calotropis procera (Aiton) W.T. Aiton - syn.Asclepias procera Willd., Calotropis heterophylla Wall., Asclepias heterophylla Decne. - Asclepiadaceae \\
sodomapple, **Sodomsapfel**, Oscher

Weekwooded shrub or tree up to 3(6)m tall, native to Africa, Asia, naturalized in America; leaves opposite, big (7-30 x 4-18cm), oblong or narrow obovate, entire, cuspidate, pale green, white powdered; flowers small, outside white, inside white-pink with violet tip, wheel-shaped; fruits conspicuous, egg-shaped, up to 12 x 9cm, green and flabby. 

" Cultivated for medicine in S Guangdong, Guangxi, S Yunnan [Afghanistan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, Vietnam; Africa, SW Asia, introduced to Australia and Central and South America] ...
The bark and leaves are used for the treatment of leprosy and asthma, respectively." \\
[[http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=210000158]]

"The decoction of the aerial part of Calotropis procera is commonly used in Saudi Arabian traditional medicine for the treatment of variety of diseases including fever, joint pain, muscular spasm and constipation. The present investigation was undertaken to confirm its claimed activity in traditional medicine. The ethanol extract of the plant was tested on laboratory animals for its antipyretic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, purgative and muscle relaxant activities. The results of this study showed a significant antipyretic, analgesic and neuromuscular blocking activity. On smooth muscle of guinea pig ileum, the extract produced contractions which was blocked by atropine supporting its use in constipation. The extract failed to produce significant anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities. Our phytochemical studies on the aerial parts of C. procera showed the presence of alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, tannins, flavonoids, sterols and/or triterpenes. However, the chemical constituents responsible for the pharmacological activities remains to be investigated. The safety evaluation studies revealed that the use of extract in single high doses (up to 3g/kg) does not produce any visible toxic symptoms or mortality. However, prolong treatment (90 days) causes significantly higher mortality as compared to control group." \\
[Pharmacological studies on aerial parts of Calotropis procera., Mossa, J.S., Tariq, M., Mohsin, A., Ageel, A. M., Al-Yahya, M.A., Al-Said, M.S., Rafatullah, S., The American journal of Chinese medicine, Vol.19(03n04), 1991, 223-231] [[http://repository.ksu.edu.sa/jspui/bitstream/123456789/5208/1/Pharmacological%20Studies%20on%20Aerial%20Parts%20of.pdf]]

{{:asclepias_procera.jpg?600}} \\
Calotropis procera (Aiton) Dryand. as Asclepias gigantea Jacq., \\
Jacquin, N.J. von, Selectarum stirpium Americanarum historia (2nd -luxury- ed.) [New York Botanical Garden], p.45, t.88 (1780-1781) [N.J. Jacquin]
 \\ [[http://www.plantillustrations.org/species.php?id_species=182480]]