PHARMACEUTICAL STUDY OF ERANDA TAILA EXTRACTED FROM ERANDA BEEJA WITH AND WITHOUT SHODHANA

Eranda Taila (castor oil) is a widely used drug in Ayurveda. The classical texts Yogaratnakara and Rasatarangini have mentioned the shodhana process (purificatory procedure) of Eranda beeja (Ricinus communis Linn. seeds). Shodhana aims to nullify or reduce toxins and improve the therapeutic efficacy and potency of a drug. The shodhana of Eranda beeja (castor seeds) was performed as per the classics, using the method of swedana, which involves heating a pottali (cloth pouch) containing decorticated Eranda beeja immersed in narikelodaka (fresh tender coconut water) for 3 hours. Eranda Taila was extracted from shodhita (purified) and ashodhita (unpurified) Eranda beeja using the traditional method of castor oil extraction. The obtained shodhita Eranda Taila was light brown, had the characteristic odour of coconut and castor, was less nauseating, and was yielded in higher quantity than ashodhita Eranda Taila. The ashodhita Eranda Taila was creamish yellow and exhibited the characteristic odour of castor.