Erand

According to Ayurvedic traditions, Erand, known more commonly as the Castor Oil plant, is a powerful purgative. The Castor Bean is used to produce an oil, which ideally should be cold processed and prepared without the use of the solvent hexane, with the objective being to preserve the highest possible quantity of rinocleic acid, a medium chain triglyceride with antifugal properties stronger than the more well know capryllic acid, taken from coconuts. Castor Oil packs of oil on flannel can be applied to the abdominal area in general, and are used for swelling and loosening old matter in the intestines. Caution should be used when taken internally, because of the strong abortifacient properties, which make Erand Oil a popular traditional remedy for inducing delivery and afterbirth. Although a serious laxative, Erand Oil is used to correct diarrhea.

The oil is also used for dysentery, urinary inflammations, and peritonitis. Topically it is used to treat sore mother's breasts, conjunctivitis (applied to the eye as a poultice), or when mixed with other herbs, it can be appropriately applied in cases of lumbago, sciatica, pleurodynia, and fungal infections. It is a potent adversary of Candia albicans, the well known yeast-like fungi. A poultice of the beans will also cause boils to mature and suppurate, and will aid rheumatic inflammation. The dried root is a febrifuge.