Population Ecology and Economic Importance of Calotropis procera as an Exotic Medicinal Plant

A review is given regarding the medicinal plant Calotropis procera (Aiton) W.T a member of the family (Asclepiadaceae) commonly known as Giant Milk weed. It demonstrated that Calotropis is a perennial xerophytic woody shrub that has a great capacity to inhabit abandoned lands, it tolerated poor soils with limited nutrition and moisture, known to establish an intensive root system as a drought resistance mechanism. It exhibited allelopathic properties and phytoremediation, considered invasive in many habitats. C. procera is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions of the globe, in Egypt it's distributed through several phytogeographic regions with different edaphic properties, consequently, it showed great polymorphism and wide variety in metabolites in accordance to different environments. The seeds possess a unique silk formation that aided in dispersal through wind, water or any moving substance. Environmental conditions specially precipitation rates, was found to control the invasive behavior of the species since it showed no invasive attribute in arid environments where it's originally found such as Egypt or Saudi Arabia, on the contrary, Australia for instance knew C. procera as an invasive naturalized plant. A great benefit could be taken from Calotropis procera on many levels, as on one hand it is known traditionally, in folk medicine to have purgative and anthelimintic properties and used in treating leprosy, ulcers, tumors and piles as well as purgative, anticoagulant, and anticancer, moreover, the plant's latex has been known for cardiac glycoside content and contains compounds with pesticide properties, while on the other hand, its biomass proved a tendency to be a good source of renewable energy and hydrocarbon. Finally, Calotropis procera populations have an immense ecologic role being habitat for several organisms, displaying phytoremedy properties in contaminated soils and its ability to rehabilitate deserted land bringing back life once again.