Ricinus communis

Botanical name : Ricinus communis Linn.
Family : Euphorbiaceae

SANSKRIT SYNONYMS
Erandah, Panchangula, Vatari, Deerghadanda, Gandharvahasta, Tharuna, Vardhamana, Rubkam

AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES
Rasa : Kashaya, Madhura, Katu
Guna : Guru, Snigda, Teekshna, Sookshma
Virya : Ushna

PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
English : Castor
Hindi : Erandi, Erand
Malayalam : Avanakku

PLANT DESCRIPTION
A perennial, bushy, soft-wooded small tree with a thin greyish brown bark; leaves palmately lobed with seven or more serrate lobes; flowers monoecious in terminal panniculate racemes with crowded male flowers on the upper half of the inflorescence and the pistillate at the basal half; fruits globose, explosively dehiscent, 3-seeded capsules, when young it is green and covered with fleshy prickles; seeds oblong with smooth, hard, mottled crustaceous testa with a white caruncle at the top enclosing oily and fleshy endosperm

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Plant pacifies vitiated vata, abdominal discomfort, constipation, inflammation, fever, ascites, bronchitis, cough, leprosy, skin diseases, colic and lumbago.
Useful parts : Root, Leaves, Flowers, Seeds, Oil