Ricinus communis (ERANDA & RAKTA ERANDA)

We come across the mentionings about Eranda Mani dharaÄa in the vedic literature (Sa. Ara. 12/8; K.P. 481).

Caraka considered Erandamula (root of castor plant) as Vrishya and Vatahara (C.S.Su. 25). Sushruta emphasized the role of Eranda taila in the diet (S.S.Su. 45). Caraka quoted Erandak (Urubuka), Citra (Danti) and Citraka (Dravanti or Rakta Eranda?) under Bhedaniya group of drugs. Some scholars debate that Eranda dvaya are not known to Caraka. It is important to note that Caraka mentioned Urubµuka (Sveta Eranda) and Panchangula (Rakta/Citra Eranda) under Saka varga (vegetables). Therefore, Citraka of Bhedaniya is not Plumbago zeylanica. It may be either Dravanti (Euphorbia acaulis Roxb. Or Croton tiglium) or Rakta Eranda. The later variety of Eranda may be due to the colour variation than species variation. Vagbhata also quoted Eranda dvaya (A.H.Ci. 1/139).

Note– Ricinus communis leaves yields a highly toxic substance ‘ricine’ for which no specific anti-dote is available even today. This was used as a poison by military/army of various countries during world war II.

Different Varieties– Dhanvantari Nighantu, Sodhala Nighantu, Kaiyadeva Nighantu, Bhava Prakasa Nighantu and Raja Nighantu described two varieties of Eranda i.e., Sveta (white) and Rakta (red) varieties. Raja Narahari mentioned another variety in the name of Sthula Eranda.  According to the author both white and red varieties of eranda are the morphological variations of the same plant R. communis.

Botanical Description– An evergreen, glabrous shrub, 2-4.5 m high. Leaves– palmately 7-many-lobed, loboes oblong to linear, acute or acuminate. Flowers– in large terminal subpanicled racemes; in a dense globose head of branched filaments and anthers; yellowish. Fruits– Capsules, globosely oblong, smooth or echinate. Seeds– oblong, smooth, mottled.

Flowers and fruits occur almost throughout the year.

Distribution– Cultivated throughout India and commonly found in the wild.

Major Chemical Constituents– Seeds & Leaves– ricinine (toxic alkaloid), 1-methyl-3-cyano-4methoxy-2-pyridone

Seed coat– Lupeol, lipids, phosphatides etc.

Seed oil– arachidic, ricinoluc, palmitic, strearic etc., acids; hexa decanoic, hydrocyanic & uric acids; squalene and tocopherols etc.

Part Used– Root, leaf, seed, oil

Dosage– Root powder 3-5 g, decoction 50-100 ml; seed 1-5 numbers; oil 5-10 ml.

Research–

• The crude alcoholi extract of root (100 mg/100 gm) showed 72.2% inhibition of carrageenin-induced rat paw oedema.

The fraction II of the crude alcoholic extract (10 mg/100 gm) produced 65.12% inhibition. Acetyl salicylic acid showed 62.1% inhibition when used in the dose of 30 mg/100 gm (Sharma et al., 1969).

(2) Fresh leaves protected against liver injury induced by CCl4 in rats while cold aqueous extract provided partial protection (Ind. J. Pharmacol. 1977, 9, 265).

(3) Gavage administration of castor oil to rats produced large amounts (5-6 fold greater than in control) of platelet-activating factor in duodenum and jejunum but not in ileum and colon. Intraluminal release of acid phosphate (AP) was also increased (5-6 fold greater than in control) in duodenum and jejunum of such rats (British J. Pharmacol. 1989, 96, 872).

(4) Anti-inflammatory effects of root extract investigated against carrageenin-, 5-HT-, dextran-, bradykinin- and PGE1-induced rat hind paw emema. Extract (0.15 g/kg) given orally two hours before injection of above phlogistic agents exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity against all the agents except PGE1 (Ind. J. Pharmacol. 1990, 22, 239).

(5) N-Demethylricinine (1.5-12.0 mg/kg p.o. for 7 days) showed dose-dependent anticholestatic and hepatoprotective activities against paracetamol-induced hepatic damage, and choleretic activity in rats. Increase in volume of bile was evidence of choleretic and anticholestatic activities, while hepatoprotective effect was shown by increase in percent viability of hepatocytes and by reversal of altered SGOT, SGPT and alkaline phosphates levels towards normal (Drug Der. Res. 1992, 26, 183).