Oleander

OLEANDER

Biological Source

It consists of the dried seeds and leaves of Nerium indicum Linn, belonging to family Apocynaceae.

Geographical Source

It is mainly found in the United States, India, West Indies.

Characteristics

Leaves exstipulate, linear, lanceolate 10–20 cm long and up to 2.5 cm wide, thick, dark green and shining above and dotted beneath.

Microscopy

Lamina shows an isobilateral structure, 3–4 layered palisade parenchyma cells below upper and above lower epidermis in the mesophyll, single layer of epidermis covered externally by thick cuticle, epidermal cells elongate to form unicellular, nonlignified and nonglandular hairs; four to seven layers of collenchymatous cells and a wide zone of parenchyma follows the epidermis; parenchymatous cells thin walled, more or less isodiametric with intercellular spaces, some cells contain rosette crystals of calcium oxalate; petiole receives three vascular bundles from stem, central one large and crescent shaped while other two much smaller and somewhat circular present on each side of central vascular bundle. The leaves contain anomocytic type of stomata.

Chemical Constituents

Cardiac glycosides oleandrine, gitoxigenin, neridiginoside, adynerigenin, etc., also it contains terpenoids, sterols, tannins, essential oils.

Uses

Leaves are used in cutaneous eruptions. The paste of the root is applied externally in haemorrhoides and ulcerations.