In traditional medicine, the leaves of the Physic nut plant are used as a haemostatic
and are also drastic purgative.
A leaf decoction is diuretic.
The fruit and seeds may have contraceptive properties; the seeds are considered toxic.
However, there are variations in the toxicity of the seeds.
They contain a purgative oil (Hell oil or Oleum ricini majoris), a phytotoxin (curcin) and diterpene esters.
The oil has purgative properties and is used as a pain reliever from rheumatism.
The oil from the seeds is used against rashes and parasitic skin diseases. Sap form the bark is used to dress wounds
and ulcers and stops bleeding.
When seed oil is mixed with benzyl benzoate, it becomes effective against scabies and dermatitis.
The sap from the leaves is used on bee and wasp stings; the latex heals wounds and has anti-microbial properties.
Constituents
Lectines and phorbol esters, deoxypreussomerins, palmarumycins, jatrophine, curcin.
Pharmacology
Physic nut has disinfectant and antiparasitic activity.
The coagulant activity of the latex from Jatropha curcas showed that whole latex significantly reduced the clotting
time of human blood. Diluted latex, however, prolonged the clotting time: at high dilutions, the blood did not
clot at all. This indicates that this latex possesses both procoagulant and anticoagulant activities.
Essential oil from Jatropha curcas has remarkable medicinal action. This oil contains some active constituents against
microorganisms.
Antibiotic activity of Jatropha has been observed against organisms including Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia
coli.
Dosage
Tincture: check with your homeopath.
Precaution
References
Comparative evaluation of non-toxic and toxic varieties of Jatropha curcas for
chemical composition, digestibility, protein degradability and toxic factors.
MAKKAR H.P.S. ; ADERIBIGBE A.O. ; BECKER K.
Deoxypreussomerins from Jatropha curcas: are they also plant metabolites?
RAVINDRANATH N. ; REDDY M.R. ; MAHENDER G. ; RAMU R. ; KUMAR K.R. ; DAS B.
Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Organic Chemistry Division - I, Hyderabad 500 007, India.
The above presentation is for informational and educational purposes only.
It is based on scientific studies (human, animal, or in vitro), clinical experience, or traditional usage.
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