Tanzania is endowed with a variety of medicinal plant species which can be utilised as an alternative therapy for several diseases [31], [40]. Approximately 10 % of Tanzania's 12,000 higher plant species are harvested from the wild and used medicinally to treat a variety of human conditions [1], [26]. Medicinal plants provide employment and income to the majority of rural populations that use them as healthcare solutions [19]. The potential of several widely grown plant species in Tanzania, including Lannea schimperi, Ozoroa reticulata, Annona senegalensis, Jatropha curcas, Combretum cillinum, Acacia drepanolobium, Lonchocarpus capassa, and Calotropis procera to treat conditions like mental disorders, diarrhoea, malaria, snake bites, boils, hydrocele, stomach aches, constipation, intestinal worms, abscesses, bilharzia, rheumatism, warts, cough, asthma, earaches, and bilharzia, are well-known [29]. Due to the abundance and diversity of plants, their tissues can yield a large number of bioactive compounds that are utilised to treat illnesses. For that reason, integrating traditional knowledge and contemporary science to explore the ethnopharmacology of C. procera in Tanzania's semi-arid environment, like Kongwa (Dodoma), is desperately needed.

C. procera, a perennial shrub or small tree, commonly known as the ‘apple of sodom’, is a highly toxic plant. The plant is a member of the Apocynaceae family and is referred to as ‘Milkweed’ or ‘Mswai’ in Tanzania. This plant produces mature fruit that bursts, scattering the seeds. It occasionally grows up to 6 m in ideal conditions and often reaches a height of 3–4 m. Its big, oblong or ovate leaves, which are 10–30 cm long, have a leathery texture and a silvery, waxy coating that conserves water. Along the leaves, the leaves are positioned opposite one another [20]. The plant is distinguished by its enormous, ostentatious flowers, which are typically clustered and pale purple or white. Tanzanian and other East African traditional medicine have acknowledged C. procera's therapeutic properties, especially its application in treating a range of illnesses, in addition to its poisonous qualities [20];[47]. Furthermore, Tanzanian societies have utilised C. procera for a variety of therapeutic uses such as topical treatment of rheumatism and arthritis, healing of wounds, ulcers, and skin infections. The roots, leaves, and petals of the plant have been used in traditional medicine, frequently as decoctions or poultices [28]. C. procera has become extensively naturalised in various parts of the Dodoma region, including the forest patches surrounding Kongwa District in Dodoma in Tanzania. However, less than 1 % of laticiferous plant species, including C.proscera have had their medicinal potential investigated, according to [37]. Therefore, this study highlights the necessity of examining the ethnopharmacology of C. procera in the Kongwa District, a semi-arid region of Dodoma, Tanzania, integrating both traditional knowledge and modern science. Modern scientific investigations have thoroughly examined the GC-MS profiles, phytochemical composition, and antibacterial properties of C. procera leaf extracts.