CASTOR Ricinus communis
Euphorbiaceae
San: Erandah, Pancangulah; Hin: Erandi, Erand; Ben: Bherenda; Mal: Avanakku;
Tam: Amanakku, Kootaimuttu, Amanakkam Ceti; Kan: Haralu, Manda, Oudla; Tel:
Erandamu, Amudamu
Importance
Castor is a perennial evergreen shrub. The Sanskrit name erandah describes the
property of the drug to dispel diseases. It is considered as a reputed remedy for all kinds of
rheumatic affections. They are useful in gastropathy such as gulma, amadosa, constipation,
inflammations, fever, ascitis, strangury, bronchitis, cough, leprosy, skin diseases, vitiated
conditions of vata, colic, coxalgia and lumbago. The leaves are useful in burns, nyctalopia,
strangury and for bathing and fermentation and vitiated conditions of vata, especially in
rheumatoid arthritis, urodynia and arthralgia. Flowers are useful in urodynia and arthralgia
and glandular tumours. Seeds are useful in dyspepsia and for preparing a poultice to treat
arthralgia. The oil from seeds is a very effective purgative for all ailments caused by vata
and kapha. It is also recommended for scrotocele, ascites, intermittent fever, gulma,
colonitis, lumbago, coxalgia and coxitis (Warrier et al, 1996). Oil is also used for soap
making. Fresh leaves are used by nursing mothers in the Canary Island as an external
application to increase the flow of milk. Castor oil is an excellent solvent of pure alkaloids
and as such solutions of atropine, cocaine, etc. is used in ophthalmic surgery. It is also
dropped into the eye to remove the after-irritation caused by the removal of foreign bodies.
Distribution
It is a native of N. E. tropical Africa. It is found throughout India, cultivated and
found wild upto 2400m.
Botany
Ricinus communis Linn. belongs to the family Euphorbiaceae. It is a monoecious
evergreen shrub growing upto 4m. Leaves are alternate, palmatifid, 6-10 lobed, each 1-
nerved with many lateral nerves and peltate. Lobes are lanceolate, thinly pubescent below,
margin serrate and apex acuminate. Paniculate racemes are terminal with male flowers
below, female ones above. Perianth is cupular, splitting into 3-5 lobes, laceolate, valvate,
margin inrolled and acuminate. Filaments of stamen are connate and repeatedly branched
with divergent anther cells. Sepals are 5, sub-equal, lanceolate, valvate and acute. Ovary is
globose, echinate, 3-locular with 3 ovules and pendulous. Styles are 3, stout, papillose,
stigmatiferous. Capsules are 3-lobed and prickly with oblong seeds having smooth testa and
marbled, shiny and carunculate. R. bronze King and R. africanus are two good garden
varieties which are known as Italian and East Indian Castors, respectively (Mathew, 1983,
Grieve and Leyel, 1992).
Agrotechnology
Castor is cultivated both in the plains and the hills. As it has deep root system it is
hardy and capable of resisting drought. It does not withstand waterlogging and frost. It
requires hard dry climate for proper development of fruits and seeds. It requires a well-
drained soil, preferably sandy loam or loamy sand. High soil fertility is of less importance as
compared to the good physical condition of the soil. It cannot tolerate alkalinity. It is
generally grown in red loamy soils, black soils and alluvial soils. The plant is seed
propagated. The seed rate required is 5-12 kg/ha (pure crop) and 3 kg/ha (mixed crop).
Seeds are to be sown on a hot bed early in March. When the plants come up individual plant
is to be planted in a separate pot filled with light soil and plunged into a fresh hot bed. The