Erukku

The flowers of Calotropis gigantea are used in cough, asthma, catarrh and loss of appetite. The powdered root bark is soaked in its own milky juice from which bougies are prepared and their fumes are inhaled to treat cough in SSM. The flowering tops pounded and boiled with molasses are given every morning for treating asthma (Pandanus database of plants). Its leaf juice is used in external swellings.

The aqueous stem bark extract had been found to be effective on bronchial irritation by ammoniac in guinea pig. Exposure of the latex of this plant may cause some toxic effect such as corneal endothelial cytotoxicity and local inflammation.