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The Suicide tree or Pong-pong (Cerbera odollam) is a species of tree native to India and other parts of Southern Asia. It grows preferentially in coastal salt swamps and in marshy areas.
The kernels of C. odollam contains cerberin, a potent alkaloid toxin related to digoxin, a poison found in foxglove. The poison blocks the calcium ion channels in heart muscle, causing disruption of the heart beat. This is most often fatal. Cerberin is difficult to detect in autopsies and its taste can be masked with strong spices. Therefore it is a common method in both homicide and suicide in India. According to a study made in 2004, 537 deaths can be attributed to cerberin poisonings in the 11 years between 1989 and 1999 just in the state of Kerala.[citation needed]http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn6701
