एरण्ड

Botanical Name: Ricinus communis Linn.

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Synonyms: Gandharvahasta, Panchangula, Vyaghrapuccha, Aamanda, Vardhamana

Vernacular Name: Commonly known as “Castor” or “Castor Bean Plant.”

Classification: Belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family, classified as a perennial or annual soft-wooded small tree.

Habitat: Native to the Middle East and northeastern Africa, now widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions. It grows in waste farms, rocky hillsides, and edges of cultivated lands.

Morphology: A fast-growing shrub or small tree, reaching up to 3-5 meters in height. It has glossy, green to purplish palmate leaves with 5-11 lobes, long petioles, and hollow stems. The plant produces male flowers with yellow anthers and female flowers in egg-shaped capsules covered with soft spines.

Useful Parts: Roots, leaves, fruits, and seeds (especially for oil extraction).

Chemical Composition: Contains ricinoleic acid, ricinine, lupeol, lipids, arachidic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid. Seeds are highly toxic due to the presence of ricin.

Pharmacological Action: Known for its purgative, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antimicrobial, antifungal, and anti-ulcer properties. It is also used in treating Vata disorders, skin diseases, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Formulation: Used in Ayurvedic preparations like Hingu Triguna Taila, Simhanada Guggulu, Rasnaerandadi Kashaya, Vatari Guggulu, and Gandharvahastadi Taila.

Rasa: Madhura

Guna: Snigdha, Tikshan, Suksham

Virya: Ushna

Vipaka: Madhura