75. Nerium oleander

diameter. The alternate and short-stalked leaves are alternately pinnate. When crushed, the leaves develop a citrusy odor. The flowers are white and have a pleasant scent. The small fruits are ovoid and dark orange to vermillion in colour.

Use:

Murraya paniculata is a commonly used traditional medicine through most of its native range. A mildly bitter-minty tasting plant, it is warming in effect. It is considered to be analgesic, to activate blood circulation and relieve contusions. The leaves are astringent, stimulant and tonic. They are used in the treatment of dropsy, diarrhoea and dysentery. A decoction of the leaves is used as mouthwash for toothaches. The powdered leaves are applied externally to fresh cuts. A poultice of the fresh leaves is used to treat swellings due to sprain and contusions, poisonous snake bites. The bark of the stems and roots is astringent. It is used in the treatment of diarrhoea. The ground-up bark of the roots is both eaten and applied externally in the treatment of body aches. The flowers are stomachic and tonic. An essential oil is obtained from the flowers. It is used in perfumery.

75. Scientific name: Nerium oleander L.

Common names:

oleander, nerium, aladre, llorer rosa, adelfa

Family:

Apocynaceae

Origin:

around the Mediterranean Sea and South Asia

Description:

Nerium oleander is an evergreen shrub or small tree with thin, erect branches. It can grow to a height of 4 - 8 metres. It is tolerant to both drought and inundation, but not to prolonged frost. White, pink or red five-lobed flowers grow in clusters year-round, peaking during the summer. The fruit is a long narrow pair of follicles. The leaves are in pairs or whorls of three, thick and leathery, dark-green, narrow lanceolate, 5–21 cm long and 1–3.5 cm broad.

Use:

Oleander is a very poisonous plant, containing a powerful cardiac toxin and should only be used with extreme caution. The leaves and the flowers are cardiotonic, diaphoretic, diuretic, emetic, expectorant and sternutatory. A decoction of the leaves has been applied externally in the treatment of scabies and parasitic skin worms and to reduce swellings. The root is powerfully resolvent. Because of its poisonous nature it is only used externally. It is beaten into a paste with water and applied to chancres and ulcers on the penis. An oil prepared from the root bark is used in the treatment of leprosy and skin diseases of a scaly nature. Oleandrin (neriolin), a cardiotonic glucosides extracted from the leaves, has a salutary effect when used in the treatment of heart failure. It is more quickly absorbed by mouth and is less cumulative than digitoxin (obtained from Digitalis species). The whole plant is said to have anticancer properties.