Madar or Arka is a medicinal plant which is found as weed throughout India in wastelands, open areas and arid region. Calotropis is also found in most part of world with warm climate, dry, alkaline and sandy soil. It is commonly available in two varieties that is Calotropis procera (purple-flowered) and Calotropis gigantea (white-flowered).
For medicinal purpose white flowered variety is preferred. The latex or milky discharge of plant has abortifacient (causing abortion), spasmogenic and carminative, anti-dysentric, anti-syphilitic, anti-rheumatic, antifungal, diaphoretic properties and used in treatment of leprosy, bronchial asthma and skin diseases. The root bark powder is traditionally used for getting relief in diarrhoea and dysentery. The root of plant is carminative and useful in indigestion.
The other common names are Swallow wort, Sodom’s milkweed, Giant milkweed, Alarka, Erukku and Aak. Although various parts of Aak plant are used for medicinal purpose, both externally as well as internally but it should be kept in mind that this is a toxic plant. It must not be used during pregnancy. It is also toxic for eyes. Its few drops can produces sudden dimness of vision with photophobia.
Family: Asclepiadaceae
English: Madar, Giant Milk-weed, Roostertree, Mudar plant
Sanskrit: Alarka, Rajaarka, Shvetarka, Vasuka, Mandaar,Bhasvanmuula, Dinesh, Prabhakar
Unani: Madaar, Aak
Siddha/Tamil: Erukku
Arabic: Oshar
French: Calotrope, Pomme de Sodome
German: Wahre Mudarpflanzer, Gomeiner
Italian: Calotropo
Spanish: Algodon extranjero, Cazuela
Turkish: Ipekag
Here is given few traditional medicinal uses of Madar plant
- Rheumatism, painful joints, mumps
Tie lukewarm leaves on affected joints. - Skin blemishes
Mix latex of plant with haldi (3 gm) and apply on affected facial areas. - Leucoderma, vitiligo
Take 20 ml latex of Aak plant, mix 5 g bavchi churna and 1/2 g Hartaal churna. Apply this on affected areas. - Piles
Apply latex topically on piles. - Pain in ears, Ear diseases, Infection in ear, pus in ear
Take yellow aak leaves and wash well under running water. Dry them and extract 1/4 cup juice. Add 1/4 cup sesame oil. Also add 1/4 teaspoon of garlic, calamus, dalchini and hing. Cook this at low flame till all moisture is removed. Store in a bottle after cooling and use this as ear drops. - Apply ghee on the leaves and put on fire for few seconds. Extract the juice and put in ear.
- Deafness
Take yellow leaf of the plant and warm it. Squeeze to get juice. Put few drops in ears. - Skin diseases, ring worm, fungal infection, bite of poisonous insect, ulcers, tumors
Apply plant latex on affected areas. - Boils
Extract the latex of plant. Mix with haldi/turmeric and apply on affected skin area. - Wounds
Apply warmed leaves on wounds. - Pain in tooth due to cavity
Rub latex on affected tooth. - Foot blisters
Apply latex of Madar plant. - Cholera
Take clean root bark of plant. Dry them and pulverise to make powder. Mix ginger juice and black pepper powder. Roll into tablets of pea size. Take 1 tablet after every 2 hours with 1 teaspoon mint juice. - Female infertility
Take shade dried roots of white flower variety Madar. Pulverise it to get fine powder. Take this powder in dose of 1-2 grams with a glass of Gau dugdha.
Take shade dried roots of white flower variety Madar. Pulverise it to get fine powder. Take this powder in dose of 1-2 grams with a glass of Gau dugdha.