Cerbera odollam
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| Suicide tree | ||||||||||||||
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 Leaves, flowers and seeds of C. odollam From Koehler's Medicinal-Plants 1887
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| Cerbera odollam |
Cerbera odollam, commonly known as the Suicide tree, Pong-pong, and Othalanga, 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. It grows wild along the coast in many parts of Kerala, India and has been grown as a hedge between home compounds. It's a potent killer, often used for both suicide and murder.
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[edit] Description
The fruit, when still green, looks like a small mango, with a green fibrous shell enclosing an ovoid kernel measuring approximately 2 cm × 1.5 cm and consisting of two cross-matching white fleshy halves. On exposure to air, the white kernel turns violet, then dark grey, and ultimately brown or black. The plant as a whole yields a milky white latex.
[edit] Common names
Cerbera odollam tree is known by a number of vernacular names depending on the region. These are: othalanga maram in the Malayalam language used in Kerala, India; kattu arali in the adjacent state of Tamil Nadu; famentana, kisopo, samanta or tangena in Madagascar; and pong-pong, buta-buta or nyan in southeast Asia.[1]
[edit] Uses
The kernels of C. odollam contain 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.[2]
The seeds also have a long history as a poison in Madagascar. The poison was responsible for the death of 2% of the population (3000 people per year, 50,000 per generation) of the central province of Madagascar. On one occasion over 6000 people died in a single ordeal. The belief in the genuineness and accuracy was so strongly held among all that innocent people suspected of an offense did not hesitate to subject themselves to the poison test; some even showed eagerness to subject themselves to the test. The use of ritual poison in Madagascar was abolished in 1861 by King Radama II[3] However it is believed that this practice may still be prevalent in remote areas of the island.
The fruits are used for manufacturing bioinsecticides and deodorants.
[edit] References
- ^ Gaillard Y, Krishnamoorthy A, Bevalot F. Cerbera odollam: a 'suicide tree' and cause of death in the state of Kerala, India. J Ethnopharmacol. 2004 Dec;95(2-3):123-6.
- ^ 'Suicide tree' toxin is 'perfect' murder weapon - 26 November 2004 - New Scientist
- ^ De Maleissye, J., 1991. In: Bourin, F. (Ed.), Histoire du poison. Paris.
