No more oleander flower offerings in temples of Kerala! What could be the reason?

The use of oleander flowers have been banned in the temples of Kerala by two temple boards controlled by the state government of Kerala. This comes after the incidence of a 24 year old woman who lost her life after accidentally chewing a few oleander leaves.

Here is everything you need to know about the matter.

The incident

A 24 year old nurse, named Surya Surendran, lost her life on April 30 because of accidently chewing oleander leaves.

As per sources, the nurse had got a new job in the United Kingdom, She was all ready to depart of 28th of April. However, she accidently chewed a few leaves of the oleander plant, which led to accidental oleander poisoning, causing the nurse to lose her life.

Soon after ingesting the leaves, she faced uneasiness. She also vomited for some time. Next, she collapsed at the Kochi airport later that day. The nurse eventually passed away after a few days in a hospital. When the doctors asked her eating history, she indicated that she had eaten oleander flowers and leaves. The forensic surgeon made it clear to the police that she got poisoning from oleander.

The oleander plant

The oleander or rosebay is actually Nerium oleander. This is a plant that is grown worldwide in the temperate, tropical and subtropical areas. The plant is made to use for its landscaping and ornamental purposes. These are also known for their drought tolerance.

The plant is called kanaveeram and arali in the state of Kerala. It is grown along beaches and highways. They provide a green fencing to such areas. The oleander comes in a wide array of varieties.

Toxicity

The oleander plant is made to use in a wide array of Aryuvedic medicine. However, these plants can still be quite toxic for ingestion, as suggested by Paul J Boor and Shannon D Langford, two of the many researchers who conducted research on the subject at various times. The plant has often been used as an instrument of suicide since eons ago.

Effects of the toxicity

One can experience a wide array of effects, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, rashes, confusion, slow heartbeat, and more. The symptoms of the toxicity last for about 1 to 3 days.