Feeding rubberbush (Calotropis procera) to cattle and sheep

Chemical Constituents and Uses of Calotropis Procera and Calotropis Gigantea – A Review (Part I – The Plants as Material and Energy Resources)

The traditional and current use of Calotropis procera and C. gigantea, two soft-wooded, xerophytic shrubs of the family Apocynaceae, are reviewed against the background of the plants' chemical constituents and their biological properties. The focus is on the usage of the plants for building materials, natural pesticides, animal feed and bioremediative purposes.

Calotrope (Calotropis procera) control

Calotrope [Calotropis procera (Aiton) W.T.Aiton] is an exotic shrub or small tree species that is currently invading the tropical savannahs of northern Australia. A chemical trial involving 11 herbicides and four application methods (foliar, basal bark, cut stump and soil applied) was undertaken to identify effective chemicals to control calotrope. Of the foliar herbicides tested, imazapyr provided 100% mortality at the rates applied, and the higher rate of metsulfuron-methyl killed 100% of the treated plants. The herbicides 2,4-D butyl ester, fluroxypyr, triclopyr and triclopyr/picloram killed greater than 80% of the plants when applied by a basal bark or cut stump (when cut 5 cm above ground level) method of application. Plants cut close to ground level (5 cm) were controlled more effectively than plants cut 20 cm above ground level. Chemical control (foliar and cut stump spraying) is a cost effective tool to treat calotrope densities <800 plants/ha. Adoption of pasture management practices that promote perennial grasses, in conjunction with strategic chemical control, would further increase the effectiveness and reduce the costs of controlling vast areas of this weed.

The activities of drug-metabolizing enzymes in goats treated orally with the latex of Calotropis procera and the influence of dieldrin pretreatment

The effects of oral administration of different doses of the latex of Calotropis procera on the activities of drug-metabolizing enzymes in the liver, kidneys and duodenal mucosa of Nubian goats were investigated. Lesions and changes in total plasma protein concentration and in the activities of plasma sorbitol dehydrogenase (SD), glutamate dehydrogenase (GD) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were studied. The daily oral administration of the latex at dose rates of 0.4 and 0.8 ml per kg for 7 days resulted in a significant inhibition of the activity of aniline 4-hydroxylase. No signfiicant effects on the activities of aminopyrine N-demethylase and UDP-glucuronyltransferase were observed. A single oral dose of 1.2 or 1.6 ml per kg killed goats within 7 h and resulted in increased activities of aminopyrine N-demethylase and aniline 4-hydroxylase. UDP-glucuronyltransferase was found to be insensitive to tissue injury induced by the latex of C. procera. There were no pathological changes in goats given 10 mg per kg of dieldrin alone or in those pretreated with dieldrin and given the latex at a dose rate of 1.2 ml per kg 14 days later. Dieldrin pretreatment resulted in the induction of the activities of drug-metabolizing enzymes in the liver, kidneys and duodenal mucosa and it may have protected goats from the lethal effects of the latex.