NERIUM INDICUM

Common name: Oleander • Hindi: Kaner कनेर • Manipuri: কবীৰৈ Kabirei • Tamil: அரளி Arali • Bengali: Raktakarabi

Botanical name: Nerium oleander  

Family: Apocynaceae (oleander family)
Synonyms: Nerium indicum

Introduction:
Beautiful blossoms, of fragrant pink flowers in bunches, at the tip of branchlets rendering an eye-catching sight that is 'Oleander'. A native of India and the Mediterranean, it is now widely grown in tropical and subtropical gardens, parks, avenues, and is popular for its hue and fragrance. It rises up to 3 meters erect with its short branches and dark dusty green leathery narrow leaves, which grow in whorls. The are narrow lancelike, 5-21 cm long and 1-3.5 cm broad, and with an entire margin. The flowers grow in clusters at the end of each branch; they are white, pink or yellow, 2.5-5 cm diameter, with 5 petals fringed at the base. They are often, but not always, sweetly scented. The fruit is a long narrow capsule 5-23 cm long, which splits open at maturity to release numerous downy seeds. The plants are almost free from pests and diseases and untouched by cattle and goats, due to their toxicity. In India they are thus the most favoured plants for the road dividers, where a plant has to withstand heat and dust, and little water. There are single and double forms in white, pink and red. Several other cultivars have been developed - once example is a popular variety called 'Petit Salmon' which is a dwarf that grows to only 4 ft (1.2 m).

Chemical constituents

Root: glycosides, neriodorin, neriodorein, karabin, bitter glycosides fenolinic acid and aromatic oil 
Bark: scopoletin, scopolin. Besides this it contains tannins, red colouring matter, a aromatic oil, wax and flobefin and a yellow coloured stable oil.
It also contains oleandrin, neriodin, nerium D, rutin and anhydro-oleandrin.

Medicinal Uses

The leaves and the flowers: cardiotonic, diaphoretic, diuretic, anticancer, antibacterial, anti Fungal and expectorant.

A decoction of the leaves:In treatment of scabies and to reduce swellings. This is a very poisonous plant, containing a powerful cardiac toxin and should only be used with extreme caution.

The root :Used in the form of plasters and is applied to tumors because of its poisonous nature it is only used externally. It is beaten into a paste with water and applied to lesion and ulcers on the penis.

Bark : It is bitter and is used as cathartic, febrifuge and intermittent fever. Plants have an extensive root system and are often used to stabilize soil in warmer areas.

Oil prepared from the root bark: In the treatment of leprosy and skin diseases of a scaly nature.

Seeds are Poisonous. Abortifacient and alternative: They used as purgative in dropsy and rheumatism.

The whole plant is said to have anticancer properties. Nerium indicum has also been used in the treatment of cancer the flowers, leaves, leaf juice or latex, bark and roots have been used against corns, warts, cancerous ulcers, carcinoma, ulcerating or hard tumors.