Oleander

Scientific Name(s): Nerium oleander L.
Common Name(s): Adelfa, Gandeera, Kaner, Karabi, Laurier rose, Oleander, Rosa francesa, Rosa laurel, Rose bay

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Nov 22, 2021.

Clinical Overview

Use

Oleander has traditionally been used in the treatment of cardiac illness, asthma, diabetes mellitus, corns, scabies, cancer, and epilepsy, and in wound healing as an antibacterial/antimicrobial. However, limited quality clinical trials are available to support these uses.

Dosing

There is no clinical evidence to support specific doses of oleander. Extreme caution should be used because of its acute cardiotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, and nephrotoxicity.

Contraindications

Oleander is no longer considered safe due to extreme toxicity.

Pregnancy/Lactation

Avoid use. Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking.

Interactions

None well documented.

Adverse Reactions

Phytodermatitis caused by contact with oleander has been reported frequently. Oleander ingestion can lead to headache, nausea, vomiting, bradycardia, lethargy, and hyperkalemia. Most symptoms appear 4 hours postingestion.

Toxicology

Oleander is extremely toxic and potentially fatal. Major toxicity reports include disturbances in heart rhythm and death. Signs of toxicity include severe nausea, emesis, abdominal pain, cramping, diarrhea, hyperkalemia, hypertension, lethargy, hepatotoxicity, and nephrotoxicity. Oleander intoxication can negatively impact the lungs, kidneys, spleen, and muscle tissue. Intoxication can occur from ingestion, or from inhalation of smoke from burned plants.

Scientific Family

• Apocynaceae (dogbane)

Botany

Oleander is a large, glabrous, ornamental evergreen shrub with a milky juice. It grows to between 2 and 5 m in height and has long, narrow leaves almost 13 to 30 cm in length and typically grouped in threes around the stem. The red, pink, or white fluffy flowers form in small clusters. Cultivated plants rarely produce fruits. Oleander is native to Africa, Europe, North America, and the Mediterranean.Butler 2016 Oleander should not be confused with yellow oleander (Thevetia neriifolia), a related toxic plant.Jamal 2012, Lampe 1985, USDA 2018

History

Oleander was used by primitive people as arrow and dart poisons.Radford 1986 Despite its well-recognized toxic potential, oleander has been used for centuries in traditional medicine for diverse ailments such as cardiac illnesses, asthma, corns, cancer, and epilepsy; in ethnobotanical literature, N. oleander has been described as effective for these indications.Duke 2003, Jamal 2012 A number of other oleander uses have been reported, although in most cases, evidence supporting use is lacking. N. oleander leaves have been ground and mixed with honey to form a poultice and applied topically to treat scabies.Leporatti 1985 In certain regions of Morocco, phytotherapy represents an integral part of health care and has included N. oleander; diabetes mellitus, hypertension, indigestion, malaria, leprosy, mental or venereal diseases, and cardiac disorders are conditions treated with oleander.Bavunoglu 2016, Eddouks 2002 In folk medicine, oleander flowers and leaves have been used to treat congestive heart failure, leprosy, pain, malaria, ring worm, inflammation, and indigestion.Ayaz 2015, Cao 2018 In Arab folk medicine, oleander has...