ARKA calotropis giganrea sthavara visha .pptx

Arka

1. Shri Hingulambika Ayurvedic Medical College kalaburagi Topic: Arka

2. Calotropis Calotropis plant grows wild almost everywhere in India. There are two varieties—Calotropis gigantea and Calotropis procera ( madar ). Family: Asclepiadiaceae . English name: Gigantic swallow wort / Madar Active Principles : Uscharin , calotoxin, calactin, gigantin and calotropin. Synonyms: Mandara, ganarupa , sadapushpa , Alarka Category : Organic Irritant poison

3. Morphology Calotropis Gigantea (Purple flowers)- Height – 8-10feet Calotropis Procera (White flowers) –height – 3-6feet Leaves: Sessile & subsessile ,opposite, ovate & cordate at base Flowers: 3.5 to 5 cm, c.gigantea devoid of fragrance, c . procera has fragrance. Seeds: compressed, broadly ovoid

4. Classification Classics Types Names Acharya susruta 2 Arka, Alarka Acharya Bhavamishra 2 Swethaarka , Raktarka Dhanvantari nighantu 2 Arka Rajarka Rajanighantu 4 Arka, Rajarka , Suklarka,Swetamandararka

5. Rasapanchaka Rasa: katu , tikta Guna: Ruksha , lagu , Tikshna Virya : Usna Vipaka : Katu

6. Signs and Symptoms When the juice is applied on the skin, it becomes red with formation of blisters, vesication When instilled into the eyes, it produces conjunctivitis which may result in permanent impairment of vision. When ingested, it acts as a GIT and cerebrospinal poison. There is an acrid bitter taste, burning pain in the mouth, throat and abdomen along with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Pupils are dilated, and there may be tetanic convulsions. Circulatory collapse and death may occur.

7. Fatal dose: Uncertain. Fatal period: 1-8 hrs (About 12 h) Treatment: Ayurveda: Palasa is antidote for arka , Palasa kwatha given orally in ingestion cases Ulceration due to contact with latex of arka is treated by washing it with decoction of palash, sprinkling of powered leavses of palasa . Modern toxicology :The patient is treated symptomatically; gastric lavage is done with warm water, demulcents and morphine to relieve pain

8. Postmortem Findings Findings are non-specific. i . Dilated pupils and froth from the nostrils may be seen. ii. Stomatitis, acute inflammation of the GIT with ulcerated patches/perforation in the stomach may be present. iii. Viscera and the brain are congested

9. Medico-legal Aspects • All the parts of the plant are used in Indian medicine, the flowers as digestive stimulants, the powdered root as emetic and the milky juice as a vesicant, depilatory and for treatment of chronic skin conditions—all may lead to poisoning. • Juice may be taken orally or applied on an abortion stick to procure abortion. • It may be mixed with milk for infanticide, rarely for suicide or homicide. • It may be used as cattle poison by mixing with fodder or inserting a cloth smeared with the juice inside the rectum of the animal. • Sometimes, it is used to produce an artificial bruise. • It may be used as arrow poison. • The roots of Calotropis procera are highly poisonous to cobras and other poisonous snakes and hence used by snake charmers to control them.

10. yogas Arkatailam Arkavati Arkeshwara rasa