Jatropha curcas Linn

Family : Euphorbiaceae

Jatropha curcas


Habitat _ Native to tropical

America. Now cultivated along

with Cromandel Coast and in

Travancore.

English _ Physic Nut, Purging Nut.

Ayurvedic _ Vyaaghrairanda (var.),

Sthula-eranda, Kaanan-eranda.

Siddha/Tamil _ Kattu Amanaku.

Folk _ Bagharenda (var.).

Action _ Seed—highly toxic.

Nut—

purgative. Plant—used for scabies,

ringworm, eczema, whitlow, warts,

syphilis. Stem bark—applied to

wounds of animal bites; root bark

to sores.

The protein of the seed contains the

toxic albumin curcin

Seed and seed oil—more drastic

purgative than castor seed oil and

milder than Croton tiglium oil.

An aqueous infusion of leaves

increased cardiac contraction is small

doses. Ethnolic extract of aerial

parts—diuretic and CNS depressant.

The seed contain phorbol derivatives.

The plant also contains curcosones

and lathyrane diterpenes

Medicinal plants of India ; Ayurveda

Encyclopedia of Indian Medicinal Plants/Herbs mainly using in Ayurveda with good quality pictures and information like therapeutic usage of Medicinal Plants, cultivation, morphology, habitat, flower characters, Chemical content, parts used, research works etc.

medicinal plants