Sanskrit name: Parvataranda , Dravanti
Botanical name: Jatropha curcas Linn
Family name: Euphorbiaceae
Identification No.-SDACH/HG/237
Vernacular name
Hindi: Jungle errand, pahari errand,Vyaghra aranda
English: Physic Nut, Purging Nut
Kannada: Belioudalu, doddaharalu,
Malayalam: Katalavanakku, kammatti, kattavanakku
Sanskrit: Dravanti
Tamil: Kattu Amanaku, kattukottai
Telugu: Adavi amudamu
Folk: Bagharenda
Sanskrit– kananaerend, parvataranda,kananaeranda
Synonyms- Vyaaghrairanda , Sthula-eranda, Kaanan-eranda.
Classification: Bhav Prakash- Guduchayadi varga
Habitat & Distribution: Semi evergreen shrub, it is native to American tropics, most likely Mexico and Central America. All over India.
Morphology– Semi evergreen shrub or small tree, reaching a height of 6 metres or more, Leaves are green to pale green, big, smooth, alternate to subopposite phyllotaxy, Flowers are yellowish. Male and female flowers are produced on the same inflorescence. Fruits are green coloured. Seeds contain oil.The oil is largely made up of oleic and linoleic acids.The seeds are mature when the capsule changes from green to yellow.
Varieties: Jatropha curcas, Jatropha intergerrima, Jatropha gossypifolia, Jatropha glandulifera, Jatropha multifida, Jatropha tanjorensis etc.
Substitute/ Adulterant: Other non-edible vegetable oils, Kerosene is a common adulterant for biodiesel, Soybean oil, for example, can be added to Jatropha oil to lower the overall viscosity.
Phytochemicals: Taraxasterol, β-amyrin and β-sitosterol, Alkaloids, flavonoid, Coumarins, Curcin, curcosones, lathyrane diterpenes
Raspanchaka– Rasa– Madhura, Anurasa– Katu, Kashaya; Guna– Snigdha, Tikshna, Suksham Virya– Ushna; Vipaka– Madhura; Prabhava– Vadnasathpana; Dosha shamakta– Kapha Vatashamak; Karma– Vadnasathpana; Rogaghnata- Aamvata, Grahdhasi, Hrdyashoola, Kushthagan, Sandhisotha, Vatarakta, Jwaraghan, Balya, Kampvata, Bastishoola,Dorbalya
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.
