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Why Kerala has banned oleander flowers in temple offerings
Two Kerala government-controlled temple boards, which together manage 2,500-odd temples in the state, have banned use of oleander flowers (locally known as arali) in temple offerings after a 24-year old woman died after accidentally chewing some oleander leaves.
What is oleander?
Nerium oleander, commonly known as oleander or rosebay, is a plant cultivated worldwide in tropical, subtropical, and temperate regions. Known for its drought tolerance, the shrub is often used for ornamental and landscaping purposes.
How is oleander used in traditional medicine?
The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (API), a government document that describes the quality, purity, and strength of drugs used in Ayurveda, mentions oleander. According to API, an oil prepared from the root bark can be used to treat skin diseases.
How toxic is oleander?
Even though it is prescribed in some ayurvedic formulations, oleander’s toxicity has also long been recognised across the world, and as researchers Shannon D Langford and Paul J Boor wrote, the plant has been “exploited therapeutically and as an instrument of suicide since antiquity.” (‘Oleander toxicity: an examination of human and animal exposures’ published in the journal Toxicology in 1995).
Effects of oleander toxicity
Effects of oleander toxicity include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, rashes, confusion, dizziness, irregular heartbeat, slow heartbeat, and, in extreme cases, death. According to the website of New York’s Mount Sinai hospital, “Symptoms last for 1 to 3 days and may require a hospital stay. Death is unlikely.”
Source: Why Kerala has banned oleander flowers in temple offerings