Bitter Oleander
Botanical Name(s): Holarrhena Antidysenterica
Family Name: Apocynaceae
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Popular Name(s): Connessi Bark, Kurchi Bark, Dysentery Rose Bay, Tellicherry Bark, Coneru
Parts Used: Seeds, bark
Habitat: Grows in dry forests of India.
Description
Bitter oleander is a deciduous shrub or a small tree. It has a rough, pale brownish or grayish bark. The leaves are opposite, subsesile, elliptic or ovate-oblong and membranous. The white flowers are in terminal corymbose cymes, while the seeds are light brown or smoky in color. The fruit is thin and cylindrical, with two follicles attached together at distal ends. The herb grows throughout India, up to an altitude of 4,000 feet, with special abundance in the sub-Himalayan tract. It is considered as one of the most valuable medicinal products of India. It is known as katuja and vatsaka in Sanskrit; kura, kora, kureya and kurchi in Hindi; and kodagasan and kodusige in Kannada.
Plant Chemicals
(+)- conessine, conamine, conkurchine, connessimine, kurchine, conarrhinine, holarrhinene, isoconcessimine, conessidine, holafrine, holarrhetine, holantosines A and B, holarosine B, holantosines E and F, holacine, holacimine, holarricine.
Uses & Benefits of Bitter Oleander
- The bark of bitter oleander has astringent, anti-dysenteric, anthelmintic, stomachic, febrifugal and tonic properties.
- The herb is used in the treatment of amebic dysentery and diarrhea.
- The seeds are used in curing fever and cold. Their powder is used in dressing the oozing wounds.
- The decoction of the skin of the herb is used to clean wounds and promote healing.
- The paste of the skin of bitter oleander is applied on boils.
- The herb is helpful in augmenting digestion and appetite.
- It works well in ano-rectal problems, like proctitis, painful defecation, retal swellings, etc.
- Because of its styptic property, bitter oleander assists in arresting the bleeding piles.
- The skin of bitter oleander bark, when grated in cow’s milk, helps in treating painful, difficult micturition and urinary stones.
- The seed powder proves to be a household remedy for intestinal worm infections in children.
- The plant is used in the Ayurvedic preparation known as "Kutajarishta".
- In case of skin troubles, the bark of bitter oleander is mixed with cow urine. It is then applied on the affected parts.
- The herb has proven to be useful in treating rheumatoid arthritis and even osteoporosis.
