Thevetia peruviana Health Dictionary

(Pers.) K. Schum.

T. neriifolia Juss. ex

Family: Apocynaceae.

Habitat: Native to tropical America; cultivated as hedge plant in the plains throughout India.

English: Yellow Oleander.

Ayurvedic: Pita-Karavira, Ash- vaghna, Divyapushpa. (White and red-flowered var. is equated with Nerium oleander, the yellow- flowered var with T. peruviana.)

Siddha/Tamil: Pachiyalari.

Action: See Nerium oleander. Bark and leaves—bitter cathartic, emetic; poisonous. Roots—a plaster is applied to tumours.

All parts of the plant produce poisonous latex. Karnels contained nearly seven times as much glycosides as leaves, stems, flowers or fruit pulp. The roots and bark also contain glycosides.

Of all Thevetia glycosides, peruvo- side is the most important cardiac gly- coside. It produced a fall in right arterial pressure and a rise in cardiac output. A few cases of arrhythmia responded well to peruvoside. Thevetin and other glycosides are reported to exhibit digitalis-like effect. As a cardiac glyco- side, the potency of neriifolin is moderate. Cerberin is even weaker than neriifolin. Cerebroside is the weakest glycoside in its cardiac effect.

In addition to seeds, neriifolin and peruvoside have been isolated from the bark in small amounts.