Karveer (Indian Oleander): An Ayurvedic and Toxicological Perspective

Karveer (Indian Oleander): An Ayurvedic and Toxicological Perspective

Category: Agadtantra (Toxicology) 

Bams 2 nd year

INTRODUCTION

Karveer, commonly known as Indian Oleander, is a fascinating yet potent plant deeply rooted in both ornamental gardening and ancient Ayurvedic toxicology (Agadtantra). While its vibrant flowers are a common sight across India, every part of this evergreen shrub carries significant biological activity and potential toxicity

Botanical Name:

  • Nerium Odurum (श्वेत/रक्त पुष्प)

       White and Red flowered variety

  • Thevetia nerllifolia (पित्त पुष्प)

         Yellow flowered variety

  • Family - Apocynaceae
  • Kingdom-Plantae
  • Hindi name- Kaner
  • English Name- Indian Oleander
  • Sanskrit name-Haymarak,Haripriy, Ashwamaar,hayari

External features-

1.Habitat- Found all over India as an evergreen

shrub,commonly planted as an ornamental plants

2.Stem- Hard and woody

3.Leaves linear, lanceolate 10-20cm long.

4.Flowers are bell shaped.

•Flowers found in different colours -

  • White
  • Red
  • Yellow

•Attractive appearance, hence used as ornamental plant.

5.Taste(rasa)- Katu, Tikta

6.Smell- odourless

7.Colour- dark green leaves

MODERN PHARMACOLOGY

  • Cardioactive
  • Diuretic
  • Antimicrobial
  • Antiinflammatory
  • Insecticidal
  • Antioxidant
  • Analgesics
  • Antiulcer
  • Antidiabetic

-Though it shows many activities

internal use of it is dangerous without

purification (shodhana)

Classification

आयुर्वेद- उपविष, मूलविष, स्थावरविष

आधुनिक – cardiac poison

•acts directly on heart muscles

•affects heart rate and rhythm

•Toxic effect- can lead to cardiac arrest in severe

cases

Rasa Panchaka

Rasa: Katu, Tikta

Guna: Laghu, tikshna

Virya: Ushna

Vipaka: Katu

Types of karveer

According to Ayurveda:

Karveer is of two types based on flower colour.

 * Shweta Karveer- White flowered variety

 * Rakta Karveer -Red flowered variety

Both are classified under Upavisha(plant origin

poison)

Sign and symptoms

  1.  * Frothing from the mouth
  2.  * Slow Pulse
  3.  * Twitching of Muscles
  4.  * Headache
  5.  * Burning in throat and GIT
  6.  * Irregular Heart Rate
  7.  * Vamana
  8.  * Atisaar
  9.  * Irregular Heartbeat

Shodhan:

Boiled in dolayantra filled with godugdha for 1

prahar

Fatal Dose:

-Root powder: 15 gm

-Leaves: 5-15 (in number)

-Yellow oleander seeds: 8-12 (in number)

Fatal Period

Approximately 24 hours

Formulations -

 karveeradi tail

Modern Treatment:

-Stomach washes with tannic acid solution.

-Use Inj morphine.

-Maintain fluid balance.

-Perform symptomatic treatment

Ayurvedic Treatment:

-Give Mahisha curd with sugar.

-Use Mahishi milk with extract skin powder

Medicolegal Aspects:

-Accidental poisoning

-Abortifacient

-Suicide or murder

-Animal killing

Postmortem Appearance:

-No specific symptoms

-Contraction of the digestivesystem.

-Blood spots on the heart (petechiae).

-Sometimes seeds are found in the stomach



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This Blog Post and the information provided for the strictly for educational and academic purposes only. It serves as a study aid for students of Agadtantra (Ayurvedic Toxicology) and Forensic Medicine in Bams 2nd year. 



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