Aak Calotropis gigantea : Medicinal Uses, health benefits, other names

Aak, Arka, Madar – Calotropis gigantea

Aak, also known as arka and madar is a perennial shrub that grows up to 2.5 meters with various branches. It has waxy flowers in white or lavender color.

It has a milky stem that consists of cardiac glycosides, fatty acids and calcium oxalate.

Image Courtesy: By Lalithamba from India – Calotropis gigantea R.Br., CC BY 2.0,

Health benefits and medicinal uses of Aak

Different parts of aak have different medicinal properties.

• The latex we get from this plant is useful for inducing vomiting and acts as a purgative.
• Arka is useful for treating many skin diseases because of its astringent properties.
• Aak helps in giving relief from indigestion problems like bloating, flatulence, and abdominal distension.
• Aak is beneficial for the treatment of ascites which may occur due to the accumulation of fluid in the abdominal region resulting in large abdominal distension.
• Arka has anti-inflammatory properties and acts as a natural cleanser and astringent. It thus helps in quick wound healing, itching, healing the spleen, and skin problems.
• Arka’s purgative property helps in clearing out worms from the intestine.
• Aak works as a digestive stimulant and helps in the smooth functioning of all digestive organs and eases the digestive process.
• Aak helps in improving appetite and fights anorexia.
• Aak is popularly used in Ayurvedic treatment to treat hemorrhoids. The herb is used locally which shrinks the hemorrhoid tags with its strong alkaline property.
• It aids in improving the health of the respiratory system and is useful for ailments like the common cold, cough, asthma, and other respiratory problems.
• The leaves and latex of Arka work as an antidote for snake poison.
• Arkalavana works best for gastritis and is prepared by processing arka leaves with salt.
• Latex from Aak is useful for treating diarrhea.

Side Effects of Arka

• The dosage of arka should be monitored carefully as overdosage may result in diarrhea and vomiting.
• Arka should not be given to kids.
• Arka should not be used for pregnant and lactating women.

Useful parts and dosage of Arka

Arka leaves – 1-4 drops of leaves juice
Arka latex
Arka root – root bark powder – 0.5-1g
Arka flowers – flower powder – 1-2g

Some of the ayurvedic products of Arka are available as Arkadi ghrita, Arkadi kashaya and Asanadi kashaya.

Aak other names

Aak English name – Apple of Sodom, Sodom apple, Rubber bush or tree, Kapok tree
Aak Sanskrit name – Arka, Toolaphala, Vikirana, Asfota, Alarka
Aak Hindi name – Madar, Aak, Akvana
Aak Telugu name – Jilledu, Mandaram
Aak Punjabi name – Ak
Aak Malayalam name – Neela Eukku
Aak Bengali name – Aaknad
Aak Arab name – Ushar
Aak Persian name – Kharak