Scholars Academic Journal of Pharmacy (SAJP) ISSN 2320-4206 Sch. Acad. J. Pharm., 2013; 2(2):135-143 ©Scholars Academic and Scientific Publisher (An International Publisher for Academic and Scientific Resources) www.saspublisher.com Review Article Review on a potential herb Calotropis gigantea (L.) R. Br. P. Suresh Kumar1, Suresh. E2 and S.Kalavathy3 1Assistant Professor in Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Marine Sciences, CAS in Marine Biology, Annamalai University, Parangipettai – 608502 2Research Scholar, Faculty of Marine Sciences, CAS in Marine Biology, Annamalai University, Parangipettai – 608502 3Associate Professor of Botany, Bishop Heber College, Tiruchirappalli – 620017 *Corresponding author P. Suresh Kumar Email:
[email protected] Abstract: The beginning of civilization, human beings have worshiped plants and such plants are conserved as a genetic resource and used as food, fodder, fibre, fertilizer, fuel, febrifuge and in every other way. Calotropis gigantea is one such plant. In this review the systematic position, vernacular names, vegetative characters, Ecology and distribution, phytochemistry and the economical values of the Calotropis gigantea are discussed. Keywords: Calotropis gigantea, sweta Arka, milk weed, crown flower, economic values. INTRODUCTION Table 1: Systematic position of the selected From pre-historic times to the modern era in plant [3] many parts of the world and India, plants, animals and other natural objects have profound influence on culture Kingdom Plantae and civilization of man. Since the beginning of Order Gentianales civilization, human beings have worshiped plants and Family Asclepiadaceae such plants are conserved as a genetic resource and Subfamily Asclepiadoideae used as food, fodder, fibre, fertilizer,fuel, febrifuge and in every other way [1],Calotropis gigantea is one such Genus Calotropis plant [2].