Crown flower (Calotropis gigantea) is a shrub plant in Asclepiadoideae, up to 4 meters high, generally growing in tropical and subtropical climates, growing up to 900 meters above sea level, capable of living in dry areas and high salt content.
C. gigantea has thick and rough skin, brownish brown, green twigs and may have white fur. The single leaf has a size of about 30x25 cm, pale green, elliptical with a blunt tip, arranged opposite, the surface has white hair and starchy.
Flowers come in March to October, five thick petals, measuring 1x1 cm, predominantly white and purple at the ends. The petals are surrounded by five small triangular shaped sepals, dirty white and five purple stamens. The fruit is round with a size of 15x10 cm, if it is split it will remove white tufts of hair.
Biduri has roots with a bulge at the top, hard, outer skin grayish yellow and the inside is yellowish white. If one part is slashed, it will emit runny sap that is white, chelate, smelly and poisonous.
Crown flower has several secondary metabolites including usharin, alpha and beta-calotropeol, fatty acids, tetracyclic triterpenes, giganteol, kardenolida calotropin, α-amirin, taraxasterol, β-sitosterol, α-amyrin methylbutazone, α-amirin acetate, β-amirin acetate, lupeol acetate, flavonol glycoside. Akundarol, uscharidin, kalotropon, frugoside, kalaktin, kalotoxin, kalotropagenin, benzoilisoline-lon, benzoillineolone, flavonoids, triterpenoids, alkaloids, steroids, glycosides, saponins, coumarin, terpenes, alcohols, resins, kalotropeols, uzarigenin and voruscharin.
Flower and leaf extracts have shown hypoglycemic effects in preclinical studies. Much more effective fungicides than the salve and insecticidal properties of Calotropis have been reported. A fermented mixture of Calotropics and salt is used to remove hair from the skins of goats and sheep.
Flowers are long lasting and used in bouquets, decorating urns or sarcophagi and interiors of burial places. Calotropis produces a durable fiber that is used for rope, carpets, fishing nets and sewing thread. The cotton in the flowers is also used to make pillows.
The latex of this plant has been used as arrow poison. This poison works by inhibiting the sodium-potassium pump and this effect is especially strong in cardiac tissue. Cardiac effects can be applied to cardiac medicine and digitalis has been used as such. However, excessive doses can cause arrhythmias which can lead to death.
The roots and leaves are used to treat asthma, bacterial infections, swelling with redness and boils. Bark to treat the liver and spleen. This plant is reported to be effective in treating skin, digestive, respiratory, circulatory and nervous disorders, fever, elephantiasis, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, arthritis, cancer and an antidote to snake bites.
Recent studies show potential for contraception and cancer medicine. DCM extract proved highly cytotoxic against non-small cell lung carcinoma (A549), colon carcinoma (HCT 116) and hepatocellular carcinoma in hamsters (Hep G2). This extract shows potential as a cancer drug.
Calotropis is a poisonous plant. Leaves and stems when sliced produce a thick milky juice. It is used as arrow poison and livestock poison. The milky latex sap of Calotropis gigantea is a known cause of toxic keratoconjunctivitis and vision loss.
This plant was reported to show the ability to control Culex gelidus and Culex tritaeniorhynchus mosquitoes which function as vectors for Japanese encephalitis. The aqueous extract of the leaves showed significant larvicidal, repellent and ovicidal activities.
TAXON
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Gentianales
Family: Apocynaceae
Subfamily: Asclepiadoideae
Tribe: Asclepiadeae
Subtribe: Asclepiadinae
Genus: Calotropis R.Br. in Asclepiadeae: 28 (1810)
Species: Calotropis gigantea (L.) W.T.Aiton in Hortus Kew., ed. 2. 2: 78 (1811)
HOMOTYPIC SYNONYMS
Asclepias gigantea L. in Sp. Pl.: 214 (1753)
Madorius giganteus (L.) Kuntze in Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 421 (1891)
HETEROTYPIC SYNONYMS
Asclepias argentata Noronha in Verh. Batav. Genootsch. Kunsten 5(4): 6 (1790)
Periploca chinensis Decne. in A.P.de Candolle, Prodr. 8: 499 (1844)
Periploca cochinchinensis Lour. in Fl. Cochinch.: 167 (1790)
Streptocaulon cochinchinense (Lour.) G.Don in Gen. Hist. 4: 162 (1837)
PUBLICATIONS
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Balkrishna, A. (2018). Flora of Morni Hills (Research & Possibilities): 1-581. Divya Yoga Mandir Trust.
Bernal, R., Gradstein, R.S. & Celis, M. (eds.) (2016). Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia 1-2: 1-3068. Libro impreso.
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Fosberg, F.R. (1957). The Maldive islands, Indian Ocean. Atoll Research Bulletin 58: 1-37.
Girmansyah, D. & al. (eds.) (2013). Flora of Bali an annotated checklist: 1-158. Herbarium Bogorensis, Indonesia.
Govaerts, R. (1999). World Checklist of Seed Plants 3(1, 2a & 2b): 1-1532. MIM, Deurne.
Goyder, D.J., Gilbert, M.G. & Venter, H.J.T. (2020). Flora Zambesiaca 7(3): 1-375. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Goyder, S., Harris, T., Masinde, S., Meve, U. & Venter, J. (2012). Flora of Tropical East Africa, Apocynaceae(2): 1-530.
Grierson, A.J.C. & Long, D.G. (2001). Flora of Bhutan 2: 1-1675. Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh.
Hokche, O., Berry, P.E. & Huber, O. (eds.) (2008). Nuevo Catálogo de la Flora Vascular de Venezuela: 1-859. Fundación Instituto Botánico de Venezuela.
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Karthigeyan, K., Pandey, R.P. & Mao, A.A. (eds.) (2023). Flora of Andaman and Nicobar Islands 2: 1-689. Botanical Survey of India. Ministry of environment, forest and climate change.
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Meena, S.L. (2012). A checklist of the vascular plants of Banaskantha district, Gujarat, India. Nelumbo 54: 39-91.
Orchard, A.E. (ed.) (1996). Flora of Australia 28: 1-335. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.
Pandey, R.P. & Dilwakar, P.G. (2008). An integrated check-list flora of Andaman and Nicobar islands, India. Journal of Economic and Taxonomic Botany 32: 403-500.
Pandey, R.P. (2009). Floristic diversity of Ferrargunj forest area in South Andaman. Journal of Economic and Taxonomic Botany 33: 747-768.
Rajbhandari, K.R., Rai, S.K. & Chhetri, R. (2022). A Handbook of the Flowering Plants of Nepal 4: 1-522. Department of Plant Resources, Thapathali, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Sarmah, K.K. & Borthakur, S.K. (2009). A checklist of angiospermic plants of Manas national park in Assam, India. Pleione 3: 190-200.
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Smith, A.C. (1988). Flora Vitiensis Nova. A new flora for Fiji (Spermatophytes only) 4: 1-377. Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai.
Trần, T.B. (2017). Thực Vật Chí Việt Nam. Flora of Vietnam 15: 1-482. Nhà xuất bản khoa học và kỹ thuật, Hà Nội.
Wagner, W.L., Herbst, D.R. & Sohmer, S.H. (1999). Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawai'i, rev. ed., 1: 1-988. University of Hawai'i Press, Bishop Museum Press.
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VERNACULAR NAME
Aceh: Rubek, Rubik
Ahom: Tun-Paw
Arabic: زهرة التاج
Assamese: Akon
Bali: Maduri
Bengali: আকন্দ Aakanda
Bhojpuri: Akaon
Bodo: Gogondo
Chepang: Aanak
Chinese (Simplified): 牛角瓜
Chinese (Traditional): 牛角瓜
Danuwar: Ankon
Dimasa: Wai-Bulai-Gedeba
Dogri: Chitta Akk
English: Crown flower, Crown Milkweed, Giant Milk Weed, Giant calotrope
Filipino: Kapal-kapal
German: Kronenblume, Madarstrauch
Gujarati: Akado, Safed Akado
Hajong: Aakhon, Akanda
Haryanvi: Aak, Madar, Moto Aak, Safed Aak
Hebrew: פרח הכתר
Hindi: आक - बाहुक - भास्कर - प्रतापस - सफ़ेद आक - सूर्य - वासुक - मदार - अकोआ - एकॉन्ड - अकोना Aak, Bahuk, Bhaskar, Madar, Mandar, Pratapas, Safed Aak, Surya, Vasuk, Madar, Akoa, Akond, Akona
Hong Kong: 牛角瓜
Indonesian: Biduri, Widuri
Japanese: カイガンタバコ
Java: Widuri, Sidogori, Sidaguri
Kachchhi: Dhoro Akado
Kannada: Ekkada gida, Arka, Aasphota, Bili Ekke, Ekka, Ganarupa, Gandu Ekke, Mandara, Prataapasa
Kokborok: Angan
Kol: Akanta, Akwan, Palati, Patladhudha
Konkani: Dhavi Rui, Rui
Korean: 크라운 꽃
Kumaoni: Ak, Ank
Lao: ກົກມາຍ - ດອກກັບ - ດອກຮັກ Kok may, Dok kap, Dok hak
Lithuanian: Didžioji pienuolė
Macao: 牛角瓜
Madura: Bidhuri
Malayalam: Dinesam, Erikku, Erikkalachedi, Vella-erikku, Yerikku, Vellaerikku
Malaysia: Lembiaga, Remiga, Rembega, Kemengu
Manipuri: Angkot
Marathi: Akra, Arka, Mandara, Rui
Minang: Rumbigo
Minangkabau: Rumbigo
Mizo: Hnah-Pawl
Mundari: Patladhudha
Nagpuri: Akaon
Nepali: आँक Aank
Nyishi: Akon Pat, Takom Ash
Odia: Akanda, Arakha, Dhala Arakha
Oria: Arko, Urak, Akand
Pali: Akka
Polish: Mleczara olbrzymia
Portuguese: Madar
Punjabi: Akk, Madar
Rabha: Akhom-Phang
Rajasthani: Aak, Bhakar Aak, Moto Aak, Safed Aak, Safed Ankada
Russian: Калотропис гигантский
Sanskrit: Arka, Aditya, Alaka, Arka, Asphota, Bahuka, Bhaskara, Chitrabhanu, Divakara, Divyapushpika, Ekashthila, Ganarupa, Grahapati, Hrasvagni, Jambhana, Karna, Kharjughna, Kshiracchada, Mandara, Pratapa, Pratapasa, Pucchin, Rajarka, Rashmipati, Ravi, Ravipriya, Sadaprasuna, Sadapushpi, Shankarapushpa, Sharkarapushpa, Shitapushpaka, Shivapushpaka, Shukaphala, Shvetarka, Sira, Sitalaka, Sitalarka, Sura, Suryahva, Suryalata, Suryapattra, Tarani, Tulaphala, Vikirana, Vikshira, Vishuka, Vrttamallika
Santali: Akaona, Parkha
Slovak: Glejovkovec obrovský
Tagin: Takom Ash
Taiwan: 牛角瓜
Tamil: அருக்கம் - எருக்கு - அர்க்கம் - யெரிக்கன் - எருக்கு - அருளகம் - மாலை-ஒய்-எருக்கு - நீலா எருக்கு - புலகு - உதும்பரம் - வெள்ளெருக்கு Arukkam, Erukku, Arkkam, Yerikan, Yerukku, Arulakam, Malai-Y-Erukku, Neela Erukku, Pulaku, Utumparam, Vellerukku
Telugu: Tella jilledu, Racha jilledu, Jilledu, Arkamu, Mandaramu, Uchchinta, Uste
Thai: รักดอกม่วง
Tharu: Akhua
Tibetan: A Rga, Ar Ka
Tulu: Yekkamale
Urdu: آک - صندوق - بہوک - بھاسکر - مدر - مندر - پرتاپاس - سوریہ - وسوک Aak, Ark, Bahuk, Bhaskar, Madar, Mandar, Pratapas, Surya, Vasukk
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