Castor Oil

November 14, 2023 2 min read

Ricinus communis or the castor oil plant is a species of perennial flowering plant in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae. The Sanskrit name for Castor oil plant is Eranda.

Acharya Charaka has claimed it as the best among the purgatives. Castor oil should only be used internally with supervision of your practitioner.

Benefits of Eranda:


1. Externally Eranda can be used to alleviate pain and swelling.
2. The oil can be used for Virechana/ purgation in constipation, rheumatic complaints, sciatica and many other complaints.
3. It is used to treat the Vata dosha, disorders such as arthritis and facial palsy.
4. Castor oil is locally massaged over the breast in lactating mothers to increase the milk flow.
5. Castor oil is good in promoting hair growth and reducing dandruff when massaged on the scalp.
6. Eranda is the drug of choice in treating diseases of vata associated with Ama/ digestive toxins.
7. Castor oil leaves made into a paste with sesame oil, then slightly heated and applied externally helps in reducing pain.
8. Castor oil pack applied regular will help in digestive complaints, bursitis, swollen joints, muscle strains, liver detoxifying and alleviate menstrual cramps.
Stay tuned for our next facebook article on how to make your own castor oil pack at home.
9. Used in Ayurvedic body treatments such as patra potali Pinda Sveda.

Classical classification of Eranda
Chaksusya – beneficial for the eye sight
Bhedaniya – a plant used for purgation
Anganmarda – a herb which is useful to relieve body aches.
Krimighna – anti parasite
Svedopaga – useful in inducing sweating of the body.
Vata samshamana – group of herbs to reduce Vata

The Ayurvedic properties are:

Rasa/taste: sweet, pungent and astringent
Guna/properties: heavy, oily, sharp, minute
Vipaka/ post digestive taste: sweet
Virya/potency: heating
Prabhava/ specific action: purgative
Dosha: Alleviates vata and kapha dosha

Parts used:
Leaves, roots, fruits, and seeds

Eranda is the ingredient of many classical Ayurvedic formulations. The Samgraha granthas (different pharmacopoeia) of Ayurveda reports about 357 formulations having Eranda as an ingredient.

For more information and enquires please email info@lakshmiayurveda.com.au

With love your Lakshmi Ayurveda team ❤️❤️❤️

Please note that the seeds of this plant are highly toxic and used for insecticide and pesticides.