Ricinus communis L.

Euphorbiaceae

Common Names:
Erandu, Thel erandu (S)
Aimugi, Chillamanakku (T)
Castor (E)
Amanda, Eranda (Sa)

Traditional Knowledge

Useful plant parts :
Leaf, bark, seed and root

Uses in traditional medicine :

Leaves ground with King coconut oil is applied on the sides of the forehead to relieve headaches
Crushed bark is applied on wounds for fast healing
A cotton thread soaked in seed oil is passed (2 mm) through the anus to relieve constipation in children
Roots and leaves are given for lumbago, sciatica, pleurodynia and skin diseases

Scientific Research

Chemical constituents:

Alkaloids: ricinine and N-demthylricinine, flavonoids: kaempferol, quercetin and its glycosides from leaves

Bioactivity :

Methanol extract of roots: anti-inflammatory; aqueous extract of stem bark: antifertilitic due to loss of sperm motility; methanol extract of leaves: antibacterial, antifungal; extracts of aerial parts: antioxidative

Clinical:

Castor oil induces the initiation of labor in women; Seed has demonstrated antifertility effect in women

References :

Garry, D. et al., (2000), Use of castor oil in pregnancies at term, Altern Ther Health Med, 6(1), 77-9.

Ilavarasan, R. et al., (2006), Anti-inflammatory and free radical scaveng- ing activity of Ricinus communis root extract, Journal of Ethnopharma- cology, 103(3), 478-480.

Iqbal, J. et al., (2012), Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, and Free Radical Scavenging Potential of Aerial Parts of Periploca aphylla and Ricinus communis, ISRN Pharmacol.

Kang, S. S. et al., (1985), Alkaloids and Flavonoids from Ricinus communis, Journal of Natural Products, 48(1), 155–156.

Nath, S. et al., (2013), Male contraceptive efficacy of Ricinus communis L. extract, J Ethnopharmacol, 149(1), 328-34.

Naz, R. et al., (2012), Antimicrobial potential of Ricinus communis leaf extracts in different solvents against pathogenic bacterial and fungal strains, Asian Pac J Trop Biomed, 2(12), 944-7.

Okwuasaba, F. K. et al., (1997), Pharmacological studies on the antifertility effects of RICOM-1013-J from Ricinus communis var minor and preliminary clinical studies on women volunteers, Phytotherapy Research, 11, 547–551.

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