Hindi name कनेर English name Oleander, संस्कृत: करवीर पुष्पं scientific name is Nerium oleander or Nerium indicum, is a very famous flower.
Nerium oleander commonly known as oleander or rosebay is a shrub or small tree cultivated worldwide in temperate and subtropical areas as an ornamental and landscaping plant. It is the only species currently classified in the genus Nerium, belonging to family Apocynaceae. It is so widely cultivated that no precise region of origin has been identified.
Nerium grows to 2–6 metres (7–20 feet) tall. It is most commonly grown in its natural shrub form,
Oleander flowers offered in temples have now been banned in Kerala after a woman died..In a bizarre incident, a 24-year-old woman died after accidentally chewing oleander leaves in Kerala. She experienced discomfort sooner followed by multiple episodes of vomiting.
Despite being highly toxic, Oleander flowers are widely used across Kerala in temples for pujas, funerals, and various celebrations.
The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) is contemplating a complete ban on the use of the flower in temples under its administration.
it unpalatable to humans and most animals, so poisoning cases are rare and the general risk for human mortality is low. Ingestion of larger amounts may cause nausea, vomiting, excess salivation, abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea and irregular heart rhythm. Prolonged contact with sap may cause skin irritation, dermatitis and eye inflammation.
It contains oleandrin, neriin, and digitoxigenin and so on, of which oleandrin is the principal toxin. As it contains cardiac poison, its immediate effect is on heart. Depending upon the quantity and the plant part entered inside the human body, its effect will vary,
Nerium oleander is an important medicinal plant in Indian folk medicine. It is a potentially lethal plant in many cases and poisoning is reported in tropical and subtropical parts of the world as well as a number of suicidal cases are also prevalent in South Asian countries, especially in India and Sri Lanka.
Oleander is found more than any other plant on a highway the reason is safety. The oleander usually prevents animals from enering the highway and causing terrible vehicle accidents. It's also drought resistance and pretty low maintenance.
It is a toxic plant .
All parts of oleander, including its flowers, leaves, stem, and roots contain toxic compounds called "cardiac glycosides". These compounds can cause serious health issues if ingested, including nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, irregular heart rhythm and even death in severe cases
All parts of these plants are toxic, and contain a variety of cardiac glycosides including neriifolin, thevetin A, thevetin B, and oleandrin. Ingestion of either oleander results in nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, dysrhythmias, and hyperkalemia.
15 g of the root or 5–15 leaves can be fatal if consumed. “Taste” or exploratory ingestions are unlikely to result in serious toxicity, but substantial ingestion causes rapid onset of nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea. In one case, numbness of tongue was reported immediately after consumption of oleander tea.
Oleander is so toxic, humans don't even have to ingest it to experience symptoms of poisoning — just touching the plant and tree sap with bare hands or inhaling the smoke of burning oleander can induce toxic effects. Oleander poisoning can affect the heart, nervous system, stomach and intestines, eyes and skin. Keep children and pets away from the shrubs. Cut stems exude a sticky latex that can irritate the skin, so wear gloves when you handle it.
one should exercise great care and caution to avoid ingestion of any part of the plant, including its sap and dried leaves or twigs. The dried or fresh branches should not be used for spearing food, for preparing a cooking fire, or as a food skewer.
Treatment for oleander poisoning: Acute, treatment is directed to reduce toxin absorption throughout gastric decontamination (lavage, emetic drugs, activated charcoal) and supportive care .
Measures To Get Rid of Oleanders:
Painting the cut ends with brush killer.
Pouring bleach onto the root zone.
Using fire to burn the roots.
Information compiled by Dr.
Bhairavsinh Raol
