Poisonous compounds
Calotropis latex contains digitalin-like heart poisons and emetic substances, the effects of which on livestock are debated. It was thought that leaves contain low concentrations of these substances. Indeed, no ill effects have been reported in cattle grazing calotropis in Indonesia and Australia. However, several sheep and goats deaths have been reported in Sudan (Parsons et al., 2001), which suggests that toxicity depends on biotypes or environment conditions during the growth of the plant (Radunz et al., 1984).
A histopathological study has revealed that fresh calotropis leaves have adverse cardiac and hepatic effects in both mice and sheep. The ingestion of calotropis leaves resulted in tachycardia and transitory cardiac arrhythmias in sheep (Lima et al., 2011). The toxic effects may be alleviated through drying and calotropis hay would be safer than fresh calotropis leaves for sheep and goats (Costa et al., 2009). Calotropis latex was found to cause nervousness, frequent urination, frothing at the mouth, dyspnoea and diarrhea in goats (El Badwi et al., 1998).