Botanical Name: Jatropha curcas Linn.
Family : Euphorbiaceae
Identification no: SDACH/HG/237
Introduction :
It is used as purgative, its strength milder than Croton tiglium oil.
Names in different Indian languages :
English: Physic Nut, Purging Nut
Hindi: Jungle errand, pahari errand
Kannada: Belioudalu, doddaharalu,
Malayalam: Katalavanakku, kammatti, kattavanakku
Sanskrit: Dravanti
Tamil: Kattu Amanaku, kattukottai
Telugu: Adavi amudamu
Folk: Bagharenda
Synonyms :
Vyaaghrairanda , Sthula-eranda, Kaanan-eranda.
Morphology :
Soft wooded shrub, grows 2-3 m height.
Leaves – simple, alternate, long petiole, leaf are roughly 5 lobe projected.
Flower – yellowish
Fruit – black, 3 lobed
Distribution & Habitat :
All over India
Chemical constituents :
Curcin, curcosones, lathyrane diterpenes
Properties :
RASA- kashay, madhura
GUNA-guru
VIRYA-sita
VIPAKA-madhur
Karma : vrishya, premeha hara, rasayani, krimighna
Toxic (Seed) , purgative, narcotic
Indication :
Grahani, krimi, pandu, hridroga, premeha
scabies, ringworm, eczema, whitlow, warts, syphilis, piles, gout, snake bite
Part used :
Root, leaves, seed , seed oil
Dosage :
2-4 g powder
Amayika Prayoga/Therapeutic Uses
External:
The main purpose for Jatropha in current decades is produce biofuel or biodiesel from seeds, The press cake of jatropha seeds considered biomass feedstock to produce energy or biogas
Internal:
Purgative, Seeds useful in constipation
Part used: Root, leaves, seed, seed oil
Dose: 2-4 g powder
Yoga/Formulations: oil, patra kwath
IUCN Status: Least Concern
Research updates
- A survey on plant species from the Mexican flora revealed that J. curcas is one of the species that is used for cancer treatments in Mexico (Alonso-Castro et al., 2011). Diterpenes are the major secondary metabolites synthesized by J. curcas. These compounds are proven to be cytotoxic and tumor-inhibitors (Devappa et al., 2011). The anticancer activities of different extracts from J. curcas
- Jatropha curcas L. is a tropical and subtropical drought-resistant shrub that has been getting a lot of attention lately as a potential biodiesel plant. It has long been used as lamp oil and for producing soap. Its oil content is 34%; it is rich in oleic (42%), linoleic (35%), palmitic (14%), and stearic (6%) acids. The plant contains several toxic compounds such as lectin, saponin, carcinogenic phorbol, and a trypsin inhibitor. The plant requires the elaborative breeding and genetic engineering techniques to improve its oil quality for increasing yield, stability, and reducing levels of toxic compounds. Limitations for improving traits by breeding include a lack of knowledge of the genetic base, poor yield, low genetic diversity, and vulnerability to a wide array of insects and diseases.
