Ocular Toxicity of Calotropis Gigantea (Jilledu) – Case Scenarios

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to study the ocular toxicity of Calotropis gigantea . Material and Methods: This is a prospective case series study done on the patients presenting with Calotropis-induced ocular toxicity in the last 1 month of our outpatient department (OPD). Results: Calotropis produces copious amounts of latex, which has been shown to possess several pharmacological properties. Its local application produces an intense inflammatory response. In these two cases of Calotropis-induced keratitis reported here, the clinical picture showed corneal edema with superficial punctate keratopathy with little evidence of intraocular inflammation in one case and intense corneal edema with the Descemet’s folds in the other. The inflammation was reversed by the topical application of steroid drops. Conclusion: The latex of C. gigantea causes significant ocular morbidity which may be preventable by simple health education, elaborative history taking and vigilant clinical examination. These cases teach us the importance of extracting history from the leads of a patient’s profession and/or myths being followed in the rural areas till today. Diagnosing the signs of failure of the endothelial pump may prevent further progression leading to intense endothelial damage, and early aggressive steroidal treatment, if started well in time, saves further damage.