Context: Two Kerala government-controlled temple boards, which together manage 2,500-odd temples in the state, have banned use of oleander flowers (locally known as arali) in temple offerings after a 24-year old woman died after accidentally chewing some oleander leaves.
Oleander Plant
- It is an ornamental evergreen shrubs of the genus Nerium
- The best known is the common oleander (N. oleander), often called rosebay.
- It is a native of the Mediterranean region. However, it is cultivated worldwide in tropical, subtropical, and temperate regions.
- Known for its drought tolerance, the shrub is often used for ornamental and landscaping purposes.
- It is grown along highways and beaches as a natural, green fencing.
- There are different varieties of oleander, each with a flower of a different colour.
Significance in traditional medicine:
- According to the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (API), an oil prepared from the root bark can be used to treat skin diseases.
- Charak Samhita prescribed the leaves of white flowered variety externally in chronic and obstinate skin diseases of serious nature including leprosy.
- Bhavaprakasha has described the plant as a visha (poison) and indicated it in treatment of vrana (infected wounds), kustha (skin diseases including leprosy), krimi (microbes and parasites), kandu (itching), etc.
Toxicity:
- Oleander contains multiple poisonous compounds and all parts of the plant are highly toxic to humans and pets. Ingesting even a small amount of the plant can result in serious injury or death.
- The clear sticky sap can cause skin irritation or a rash on contact.
- Inhalation of smoke from burning oleander can also be intoxicating.
TOXICITY OF OLEANDER
- This is due to the properties of cardiac glycosides (a type of chemical) including oleandrin, folinerin, and digitoxigenin, which are present in all parts of the plant.
- Cardiac glycosides are steroidal compounds capable of exerting pharmacological effects on cardiac muscle.
- Effects of oleander toxicity include nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, rashes, confusion, dizziness, irregular heartbeat, slow heartbeat, and, in extreme cases, death.