Description:

• Calotropis is a wild perennial shrub or small tree that grows along roadsides around towns and villages and locally known as "Al-Askhar الأشخر"
• The whole plant is toxic especially the latex as it contains the cardioactive compound “calotropin” that is used in other parts of the world to make arrow poison.

Signs of toxicity include:

• Gastrointestinal tract disturbances (such as abdominal pain and vomiting)
• Cardiovascular symptoms (including bradycardia, ventricular fibrillation and disturbance in blood electrolytes).
• The latex might cause corneal damage including sudden loss of vision. "Therefore, it is advisable to avoid contact with the eye and to wash hands after handling the plant".