Ricinus communis L.

• Family: Euphorbiaceae
• Vernacular names: Aavannakku, Chittavanakku, ആവണക്ക്, ചിറ്റാവണക്ക് (Malayalam), Castor plant (English), Ernad (Sanskrit), Arand (Hindi), Sittamanaku (Tamil)
• Distribution: Native of Tropical Africa; now cultivated throughout tropics
• Description: Shrubs. Leaves alternate, palmately 6-8 lobed. Flowers in terminal paniculate racemes, pale yellow; male flowers below, female ones above. Capsule 3-lobed, prickly; seeds smooth, marbled, carunculate.
• Habit: Shrub
• Habitat: Cultivated, also runs wild
• Flowering & Fruiting: May-June

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• Parts used: Root, leaves, seeds and seed oil
• Properties & Uses: Anti-inflammatory, purgative, diuretic, aphrodisiac and expectorant. The roots are used in inflammations, fever, asthma, bronchitis and leprosy. The leaves are used in intestinal worms, night blindness and earache. Fruits are used in piles, diseases of liver and spleen. Seed oil is used to relieve inflammations, constipation and leprosy.
• Systems of Medicines: Ayurveda, Folk, Unani, Homeo, Modern,
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