Photo: Jeevan Jose, Kerala, India / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Aak Ka आक का दुग्ध
Calotropis gigantea
Also known as: Aak Ka Milk, Aak ke Doodh
Part used: Latex
| Rasa (taste) | Tikta (Bitter), Kashaya (Astringent) |
|---|---|
| Guna (qualities) | Laghu (Light), Ruksha (Dry) |
| Virya (potency) | Ushna (Hot) |
| Vipaka | Katu (Pungent) |
| Dosha | Balances Kapha & Vata |
| Prabhava | Classical systemic action |
Key takeaways
- Botanical name: Calotropis gigantea
- Part used: Latex
- Dosha action: Balances Kapha & Vata
- Typical dose: Not for internal use in these preparations.
Aak Ka in other languages
Introduction
Aak Ka Doodh is the latex of the giant milkweed (Calotropis gigantea), the larger, purple-flowered madar. The milky sap that runs from any broken surface is the part named here.
Like its smaller relative it is a Schedule E1 sub-poison. In classical practice the latex is a processing agent and a caustic external application, never a drug taken casually.
Classification
Family Apocynaceae (Asclepiadoideae). The latex is the part specified; leaf, flower and root bark are used separately. Rasa: Katu, Tikta. Guna: Laghu, Ruksha, Tikshna. Virya: Ushna. Vipaka: Katu. Doshaghnata: pacifies Kapha and Vata.
Uses & benefits
Used in classical manufacture as a Bhavana and Shodhana liquid for mineral preparations, and externally, in minute quantity on a probe, for warts, corns and stubborn skin growths. In this catalogue it appears in Karanj Taila and Kasisadi Taila, both external preparations.
Arka latex as a processing agent
Classical Rasa Shastra uses the latex to levigate and purify mineral drugs during manufacture — a pharmaceutical step rather than a therapeutic ingredient.
Arka latex as a caustic
Applied in trace amounts to warts and stubborn growths for its Lekhana, scraping action. Applied to the lesion only, never to surrounding skin.
Dosage — how much to take
Not for internal use in these preparations. Externally, trace quantity applied to the lesion only, by a practitioner.
Dosage varies with age, constitution and condition — confirm with a qualified Vaidya.
Traditional uses — questions answered from the classical texts
Answers are drawn from the citations and properties recorded for this drug. No chapter-and-verse reference appears that the record does not carry.
Which classical texts describe Aak Ka?
The citations held for Aak Ka in this catalogue are: Bhavaprakasha Nighantu (Guduchyadi Varga — Arka).
What does the Bhavaprakasha Nighantu record about Aak Ka?
Describes the two Arka species and their shared caustic latex. Reference: Bhavaprakasha Nighantu — Guduchyadi Varga — Arka.
What is Aak Ka traditionally used for in Ayurveda?
Used in classical manufacture as a Bhavana and Shodhana liquid for mineral preparations, and externally, in minute quantity on a probe, for warts, corns and stubborn skin growths. In this catalogue it appears in Karanj Taila and Kasisadi Taila, both external preparations.
What are the Ayurvedic properties of Aak Ka?
Rasa Tikta (Bitter), Kashaya (Astringent), Guna Laghu (Light), Ruksha (Dry), Virya Ushna (Hot), Vipaka Katu (Pungent). Dosha action: Balances Kapha & Vata. Prabhava: Classical systemic action.
Why is Aak Ka classified the way it is?
In dravya-guna a drug's dosha action follows from its taste, qualities, potency and post-digestive effect. Aak Ka carries Ushna (Hot) virya and Katu (Pungent) vipaka, which together give the recorded action: Balances Kapha & Vata.
Which part of Aak Ka is used medicinally?
The part used is Latex.
How much Aak Ka is taken, and how?
Not for internal use in these preparations. Externally, trace quantity applied to the lesion only, by a practitioner. Dosage varies with age, constitution and condition — confirm it with a qualified Vaidya.
When should Aak Ka be avoided?
PRESCRIPTION ONLY — Schedule E1. The latex is a violent irritant that blisters skin and causes severe, potentially permanent eye injury on contact; irrigate immediately and seek medical care. Swallowing it causes vomiting, collapse and cardiac effects, and has proved fatal. Keep away from children. Never handle without protection, and never self-apply.
Where does Aak Ka grow?
Common on dry wasteland, dunes and roadsides across India, often growing alongside Calotropis procera and distinguished by its larger purple flowers.
Classical references
- Rasa Tarangini — Upavisha Prakarana
Arka latex listed among the sub-poisons with specified purification before any use. - Bhavaprakasha Nighantu — Guduchyadi Varga — Arka
Describes the two Arka species and their shared caustic latex.
Safety & precautions
PRESCRIPTION ONLY — Schedule E1. The latex is a violent irritant that blisters skin and causes severe, potentially permanent eye injury on contact; irrigate immediately and seek medical care. Swallowing it causes vomiting, collapse and cardiac effects, and has proved fatal. Keep away from children. Never handle without protection, and never self-apply.
Where it grows
Common on dry wasteland, dunes and roadsides across India, often growing alongside Calotropis procera and distinguished by its larger purple flowers.
Frequently asked questions
Why is a poison used in medicine at all?
Classical Rasa Shastra uses several sub-poisons after Shodhana — defined purification procedures that change their properties. The processed drug in a finished formulation is not the raw latex.
Can I apply it to a wart myself?
No. It is a caustic that damages healthy skin as readily as the lesion, and it blinds on eye contact. This is a practitioner-applied drug.
