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24.
RICINUS COMMUNIS
Eng.=
Castor oil plant; Ind.
= Arandi
Habitat
and Description
The
castor oil plant is a tall shrub with very large broad leaves divided into
several lobes. The fruit is a
spherical capsule with small grey seeds having brown spots.
It is cultivated in hot climates around the world, especially in
Africa and southern Asia. It
can be grown almost anywhere. The
seeds contain ricin ( a highly poisonous substance), ricinine and lectins.
Parts
used: Seeds, root, seed oil.
Actions
:
Antiarthritic, antihelminthic, carminative, expectorant, anodyne,
purgative, ophthalmic and tonic.
Therapeutic
uses
·
In
Arthritis and related disorders
Castor
is used very effectively in the treatment of rheumatic disorders.
A poultice of castor oil seeds is used to relieve swollen and
tender joints. For the
treatment of chronic joint pain and joint swelling, decoction of the root
is used internally.
·
Other
uses
It
is used a s a laxative and in higher doses as a purgative.
It is also used in dropsy, fever, skin diseases, amenorrhoea,
boils, burns and renal colic. It
works as a good emetic in opium poisoning and other narcotics. A few drops of castor oil are dropped into the ear to expel
insects that have entered inside. Its
root bark is effective in reducing fat of the body.
Mode
of Administration and Dosage.
For
treatment of joint pains, the oil from the seeds is used externally land
internally; the leaves are applied externally and the root bark is used
internally. Leaves are made
warm by exposure to fire and applied over the affected joints.
Oil from the seed is made lukewarm and gently rubbed over the
affected joint. Ayurvedic preparation includes eranda pak,
laghu-vishgarv-taila. The
usual dose is five drops of raw castor oil that can be given to the
patient 3-4 times a day. It
is generally given with warm milk. Root
powder can be given as one teaspoonful ( 5 gm) twice daily with milk.
It can be taken in the form of decoction of the root as six
teaspoonfuls ( 30 ml ) twice daily.
Precaution
Raw
castor oil is a strong purgative. It
should not be given to pregnant women.
To small children, it should be given only when found essential,
and then too, it should be used only in a n extremely small dose.
While the castor oil is relatively safe, the beans are highly
poisonous. Eating a single
bean can cause death to a child.
Castor oil should not be taken if the patient is suffering from
nausea, vomiting, intestinal blockage, appendicitis, severe inflammatory
intestinal disease, or any abdominal pain of unknown origin.
Habitual use of castor oil discourages normal activity in the
intestinal tract, leading to laxative dependence.
Prolonged use can also result in an unhealthy depletion of
minerals, particularly potassium. In
rare cases, an allergic skin rash may develop.
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