Description

Ricinus communis, the castor plant, is a large herbaceous shrub or small tree of disputed origin, most likely native to northeastern Africa or the Indian subcontinent, and now pantropically naturalised across disturbed land, riverbanks, and scrubland throughout South Asia, the Mediterranean, and the Americas. Cultivated commercially in Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and Rajasthan, India leads global castor production. The seeds contain a fixed oil — castor oil — documented in ancient Egyptian papyri and the Charaka Samhita alike for its purgative and external lubricating properties. Classical Ayurveda employs Eranda (the Sanskrit designation) as a primary Virechana herb, traditionally incorporated in formulations for gastric and joint-related applications.