Kingdom Plantae – Plants

Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants

Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants

Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants

Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons

Subclass Rosidae

Order Euphorbiales

Family Euphorbiaceae – Spurge family

Genus Jatropha L. – nettlespurge

Species Jatropha curcas L. – Barbados nut

Vernacular Names

English: Physic nut, Purging nut Portuguese: Purgueira Hindi: Bagherenda,

Jangliarandi, Safedaranda Sanskrit: Kannanaerend, Parvataranda Rajasthani: Ratanjot

Habitat

Jatropha curcas is a large, coarse, erect, perennial, succulent, deciduous, monoeciuous,

drought resistant, annual shrub or small tree with spreading branches (Janick J. and Paul

R.E., 2008). Flowers occur in racemes in a diachasial cyme pattern. It grows on well

drained soils with good aeration and is well adapted to marginal soils with low nutrient

content. It is adapted to arid and semi arid conditions. In heavy soils root formation is

reduced. It nut is a highly adaptable species, but its potential strength as a crop comes

from its ability to grow in poor, dry sites. It likes heat, although it does well even in lower

temperatures and can withstand a light frost. Its water requirement is extremely low and it
can stand long periods of drought by shedding most of its leaves to reduce transpiration

loss. It is widely cultivated in tropics and subtropics as an ornamental plant and living

fence. It is also suitable for preventing soil erosion and shifting of sand dunes. Pollination

is by insects. It is not a weed. It is not self propagating. It has to be planted.

Distribution

Jatropha curcas is found to be growing in many parts of the country. It grows wild in

many areas of India and even thrives on infertile soil. The centre of origin of this plant is

still uncertain but it is believed to be Mexico and Central America. It has been introduced

to Africa and Asia and is now cultivated world-wide in almost all tropical and subtropical

countries. The current distribution shows that introduction has been most successful in

the drier regions of the tropics with annual rainfall of 300-1000 mm or more. It occurs

mainly at lower altitudes (0-500 m) in areas with average annual temperatures well above

20°-28°C but can grow at higher altitudes and tolerates slight frost.

Habit

Jatropha curcas is a large, erect, perennial, succulent, deciduous, monoeciuous, drought

resistant, annual shrub or small tree (6m) with thick spreading glorious branches (Janick

J. and Paul R.E., 2008). It can attain a height of up to 8 or 10m under favourable

conditions. The plant shows articulated growth, with a morphological discontinuity at

each increment. The tree has a straight trunk and smooth, papery, thin often greenish or

gray bark, masked by large white patches. Bark exudes copious amounts of milky latex

when cut is made, which is soapy to touch but soon becomes brittle and brownish when it

dries. The branches are ascending, glaborous and stout containing latex. The dark green
leaves shed during the winter months and form mulch around the base of the plant. The

organic matter from shed leaves enhance earthworm activity in the soil around the root-

zone of the plants, which improves the fertility of the soil. Flowers occur in racemes in a

diachasial cyme pattern. Normally 5 roots are formed from seedlings, one central and 4

peripheral. A tap root is not usually formed by vegetative propagated plants (Kobilke,

1989). Dormancy is induced by fluctuations in rainfall and temperature or light.

Leaves

Simple, large dark green to pale-green leaves, deciduous (under drought conditions),

glabrous, entire, angular, alternate to sub-opposite or ovate to slightly lobed with 3-5

indentations with a spiral phyllotaxis, orbicular-ovate, crowded near the apex of small

branches, 6-40cm long by 6-35cm wide (Janick J. and Paul R.E., 2008), acute to

acuminate, base cordate, the apex is pointed and the base heart-shaped. The petioles are

long. They are 10cm long.

Flowers

The plant is monoecious and flowers are unisexual; occasionally hermaphrodite flowers

occur (Dehgan and Webster, 1979). The flowers are formed terminally individually. They

are small and are mostly hidden by foliage, yellow to green, greenish or greenish white,

7-8 mm in diameter, and borne in the axils of the leaves. The racemose greenish

inflorescence normally produces 1-5 female flowers surrounded by 25-93 male flowers

(Janick J. and Paul R.E., 2008). Female flowers are usually slightly larger and occur in

hot seasons. Male to female flowers ratio ranged from 18:2:1-30:8:1 in the first year and

9:8:1-16:2:1 in the second year. In conditions where continuous growth occurs, an

unbalance of pistillate or staminate flower production results in a higher number of

female flowers. The flowers open for a period of 8-10 days in the inflorescence. The

female flowers open for 2-4 days only.

Male Flowers: Yellowish, bell shaped, many with 10 stamens which are arranged in two

distinct whorls of five each in a single column in the androecium and in close proximity

to each other, 5 united at the base only, 5 united into column (Dehgan and Webster, 1979;

Janick J. and Paul R.E., 2008)

Female flowers: Borne singly with elliptic, 3 celled, tri-ovulate ovary with 3 spreading

bifurcate stigmas (Janick J. and Paul R. E., 2008), the 3 slender styles are connate to

about two-thirds of their length, dilating to massive bifurcate stigmata (Dehgan and

Webster 1979), petals reflexed, sepals 5.

Fruits

Fruits are produced in winter when the shrub is leafless, or plant may produce several

crops during the year if soil moisture is good and temperatures are sufficiently high.

Fruits are small, yellow, ellipsoid capsule-like in shape about 2.5-4cm long by 2-3cm in

diameter (Janick J. and Paul R. E., 2008). Each inflorescence yields a bunch of

approximately 10 or more ovoid fruits. The capsules are fleshy and green when immature

that turns yellowish brown at maturity after 2-4 months from fertilization but later

becomes black upon drying. The capsule splits into 3 valves which are 3-4cm long to

release 3 oblong, black seeds about 1.5-2cm by 1-1.1cm resembling small castor seeds

with 2 cotyledons containing 60-80% oil.

Flower and Fruiting: Flowering occurs during the wet season in April-May in several

to many greenish cymes. Two flowering peaks are often seen. In permanently humid

regions, flowering occurs throughout the year. The seeds mature about three months after

flowering.

Therapeutic Value

Latex has anticancerous properties and is inhibitory to watermelon mosaic virus (Tewari

and Shukla, 1982). According to Agaceta et al. (1981), the latex can be used as a remedy

for alopecia, anasorca, burns, dropsy, eczema, inflammation, paralysis and yellow fever.

Latex used to dress sores and ulcers and inflamed tongues (Perry, 1980). The white latex

serves as a disinfectant in mouth infections in children. The latex also used externally

against skin diseases, piles and sores among the domestic livestock. The juice or latex is

applied directly to cuts and wounds as styptic and also applied to carious teeth; mixed

with salt, it is rubbed on the teeth to clean them (Dalziel, (1937). Latex is applied

topically to bee and wasp stings (Watt and Breyer-Brandwijk, 1962). The latex possess

both coagulant and anticoagulant activities. The viscid sap (latex) is employed for

cleaning teeth, to cure sores on the tongues of babies and for toothache (Burkill, 1994;

Langdon, 1977). The latex showed anti microbial activity (Thomas, 1989; Grosvenor et

al., 1995).

Leaves are regarded as antiparasitic, applied to scabies; rubefacient for paralysis, treat

rheumatic and muscular pains; also applied to hard tumors (Duke, 2001; Hartwell, 1967–

1971). The leaves are used against malaria. Some of the ethnomedical uses of the extracts

of Jatropha curcas leaves and roots include use as a remedy for cancer, as an
abortifacient, antiseptic, diuretic, purgative and haemostatic [3]. The methanolic extract

of leaves of J. curcas was reported to have anticrustacean activity, DNA intercalating

effect and also anti-viral activity (Gupta et al., 1996; Khan et al., 1991). The butanolic

extract of dried leaves of J. curcas and decoction of the dried root bark was reported to

have antispasmodic activity (Kambu et al., 1990). An ethanolic extract of the defatted

leaves and twigs of J. curcas show antileukemic activity (Hufford and Oguntimein,

1978). The leaf extract has been confirmed to possess disinfectant/antiparasitic activity

(Beyioku et al., 1998). A few leaves boiled with oil palm fruits and prepared together as

palm soup is taken internally by pregnant women whose foetus cannot develop or move.

The juice of the leaf is used as an external application for piles. The leaves have anti-

inflammatory properties but toxic when excessively used internally. The pounded leaves

can be used to aid in snakebites and also effective as an insecticide. Decoction of leaves

or roots used for diarrhea. The leaf decoction is also used as a cough remedy and as

galactagogue. Leaves are applied to wounds and pruritic lesions. Decoction of young

leaves taken for fevers. Infusion of leaves, hot or cold, mixed with lime juice, used as

lotion for fevers. The leaves are utilised extensively to cure various ailments like fever,

mouth infections, jaundice, guinea worm sores and joint rheumatism (Irvine, 1961;

Oliver-Bever, 1986). The sap and crushed leaves have also shown anti-parasitic activity

(Fagbenro-Beyioku, 1998). A leaf infusion is used for bathing and as an enema in treating

convulsion and fits (Saunders, 1961). A leaf decoction is diuretic (Kerharo and Bouquet,

1950).
Root is used in decoction as a mouthwash for bleeding gums and toothache. Otherwise

used for eczema, ringworm, and scabies (Perry, 1980; Duke and Ayensu, 1984). The

roots are known to contain an antidote against snake venom. The decoction of root bark is

used to rinse the mouth to relieve toothache and sore throat among the tribals inhabitants

of southern Andhra Pradesh [9]. Also used to cure dysentry and veneral diseases like

gonorrhoea. The root methanol extract exhibity anti-diarrhoeal activity (Oliver-Bever,

1986; Mujumdar et al., 2001).

Seeds are used also for dropsy, gout, paralysis, and skin ailments (Watt and Breyer-

Brandwijk, 1962). Seed is viewed as aperient; the seed oil emetic, laxative, purgative, for

skin ailments. The seeds contain several metabolites of pharmaceutical importance. In the

treatment of "syphilis" the seeds are crushed and mixed with cereal food and left to

ferment for 2 nights (Dalziel, 1937). Jatropha curcas, the oil from its seeds has been

found useful for medicinal and veterinary purposes, (Gubitz et al., 1999). The seed oil

can be applied to treat eczema and skin diseases and to soothe rheumatic pain

(Heller1996). The seeds of J.curcas or the expressed oil have been used medicinally as a

purgative and as a remedy against syphilis. The seeds has been used as source of oil for

stimulating hair growth. The nut of the plant has also been used traditionally for the

treatment of many ailments including burns, convulsions, fever and inflammation. The

Jatropha oil is a strong purgative and widely used as an antiseptic for cough.

Jatropha Curcas is reported to be abortifacient, anodyne, antiseptic, cicatrizant,

depurative, diuretic, emetic, hemostat, antimicrobial, lactagogue, narcotic, purgative,

rubefacient, styptic, vermifuge, and vulnerary. Physic nut is a folk remedy for alopecia,
anasorca, ascites, burns, carbuncles, convulsions, cough, dermatitis, diarrhea, dropsy,

dysentery, dyspepsia, eczema, erysipelas, fever, gonorrhea, hernia, incontinence,

inflammation, jaundice, neuralgia, paralysis, parturition, pleurisy, pneumonia, rash,

rheumatism, scabies, sciatica, sores, stomachache, syphilis, tetanus, thrush, tumors,

ulcers, uterosis, whitlows, yaws, and yellow fever (Duke and Wain, 1981; List and

Horhammer, 1969–1979).

According to Hartwell, the extracts are used in folk remedies for cancer.

Homeopathically used for cold sweats, colic, collapse, cramps, cyanosis, diarrhea, leg

cramps.

The sap from twigs is considered styptic and is used for dressing wounds and ulcer. The

tender twigs of the plant are used for cleaning teeth and juice of the leaf is used as an

external application for piles. A decoction of bark is used externally for treating

rheumatism and leprosy Andhra Pradesh[9]. It is also used as an external application for

skin diseases and rheumatism and for sores on domestic livestock.

The juice of the flowers has numerous medicinal uses (Aubreville, 1936).

Physic nut has disinfectant and antiparasitic activity.

Jatropha species belong to the family Euphorbiaceae and used in traditional folk medicine

to cure various ailments in Africa, Asia and Latin America (Chopra et al., 1956;

Martinez, 1959; Burkill, 1994).

Poultice of bark used for sprains and dislocations. Sap is used for toothaches.

The water extract of the branches also strongly inhibited the HIV induced cytopathic

effects with low cytotoxicity (Matsuse et al, 1999).

The extracts displayed potent cytotoxic, anti-tumor and anti-microbial activites in

different assays. The extracts of dried leaves, dried latex and dried seeds of J. curcas

have been investigated and proved to have antibacterial activity (Grosvenor et al., 1995).