Eranda
(Caster Seed / Ricinus
communis Linn)
Description:
It is a tall shrub, sometimes becoming treelike. Leaves very
large, broad, roundest in outline but partly divided into 7
(sometimes 9) lobes, margins toothed. Flowers large, in big
terminal bunches. Fruit a prickly capsule, rather marked into
six parts. Seeds oblong, seed coat crustaceous. One form of
this plants is almost perennial with woody stems and large red
seeds. This is said to yield an oil suitable only for
illumination and lubrication. The other form which is grown as
an annual crop, has gray and brown mottled seeds, these yields
oil suitable for medicinal uses. there is still another form
with purple bronze leaves, it is grown only for ornaments.
The castor is a small
annual plant. It ranges from 1 to 7 meters in height. It has
well-developed roots, with green and reddish stems. Which
become hollow with age the fruit is a spherical capsule with
small gray seeds with brown spots. Castor seeds were an
important item of ancient Egypt. The oil was and is still,
used extensively in local medicines mainly as a laxative, but
also to soften dry and coarse skin. The Chinese have used the
oil for medicinal purpose for centuries. The castor plant
appears to have originated in eastern Africa, especially
around Ethiopia. It now grows throughout the warm-temperate
and tropical regions and flourishes under a variety of
climatic conditions. It can be grown almost anywhere and this
is one of castor’s greatest virtues.
Healing
power and curative properties:
Castor is used very effectively in treatment of rheumatic and
skin disorders. It is a harmless purgative.
Frozen shoulder :
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Erand can be applied on frozen shoulder, gout & rheumatic swellings with
beneficial results. A decoction of the roots of castor plant
is very helpful in treating lumbago &
rheumatism.
Skin
disorders : For
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A poultice of castor leaves is useful as
an external application to boils & swellings. Castor
leaves coated with coconut oil, then heated & applied over
guinea-worm sores to extract the worms.
Dandruff
: For
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Castor oil if used regularly as hair oil,
helps to cure dandruff & helps the growth of hair.
Constipation : For
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Administration of castor oil as a
purgative is very simple. About 30 to 60 gms of pure odorless castor oil is given orally with 250 to 350 gms of Luke worm
milk. It acts just after an hour. Those who find it
unpalatable can take it with ginger or gripe water. This
reduces its unpleasantness, while destroying mucous &
promoting healthy appetite. Castor oil is a simple, harmless purgative and can be safely
used round the year without any rigid consideration &
limitation of weather & the physiological nature of the
patient.
Breast milk secretion : For
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Castor oil massaged over the breasts of
lactating mothers (after childbirth), increasing the flow of
milk, by stimulating mammary glands. Castor leaves can also be
used to foment the breast, for the same patient.
Other
uses :
Castor oil massaged over the body, before
bath, keeps the skin healthy & imparts sound sleep. Such
oil over may be taken once in a week. Applying castor oil over
hand & feet before going to sleep keeps them soft.
Applying similarly over eyebrows & eye lashes keep them
well groomed. A word of caution, large doses of castor oil as
purgative during early months of pregnancy may cause abortion.
Ayurvedic
supplements That contains Erand :
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