Physic nut is a common medicinal plant planted as ornamental shrub around houses in Nigeria and commonly used medicinally to stop bleeding from wound; facilitate wound healing; for bacterial and fungal infections; treatment and management of rheumatism/arthritis pains, diabetes and cancer.
Botanical name: Jatropha curcas
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Common names: Physic nut, Barbados nut, Black vomit nut, Curcas nut, Purge nut, etc.
Local Nigerian names: Lapalapa funfun (Yoruba); Oluluidu/Ololo Oyibo (Igbo); Bini da zugu (Hausa); Choyo (Bassa Nge)
TRADITIONAL USES OF PHYSIC NUT
The dried plant sap rubbed to powder with hands and applied on wound promote faster wound healing, the leaf or dried powdered stem of this plant spread on wound cut helps clotting to prevent excessive blood loss. A few drops of diluted water solution of twig sap given by mouth to new born babies are helpful for tetanus affection. The seeds are useful for treating worn infestation, gout, paralysis, skin diseases and purging to relief constipation. The seed oil is used for abortion and also useful in the treatment of rheumatic pains. The decoction of the leaves is useful to promote breast milk. Infusion of the young leaves is effective for management of urinary tract infections and the dry latex can be used for the management of abnormal vaginal discharge.
PHARMACOLOGICAL USES OF JATROPHA CURCAS
- Rheumatism/arthritis pains: the alcoholic and water extracts of J.curcas leaves, root and stem bark possess anti-inflammatory property which makes it useful for the treatment of rheumatic pains.
- Antioxidant: antioxidants are substances that remove free radicals from the body helping other vital organs in the body for cleansing. The aquous, ethanolic and methanol extracts from the nodes, leaves, stem bark and root of this plant exhibited anti-oxidant effects which suggest its use for body cleansing.
- Anti-microbial: the alcoholic extracts of leaves, stem bark and root of J.curcas posses anti-microbial effects against sexually transmitted bacterial and fungal infections such as: Escherichia coli (E.coli); Staphylococcus aureaus, Candida albican; Klebsiella pneumonia; etc.
- Management of cancer: Diterpenes synthesized from J.curcas root and leaves are proven to be cytotoxic and tumor-inhibitor which makes it important agent for the management of cancer.
- Anti-diabetic: the ethanolic extract of J.curcas leaves was found to reduce sugar, cholesterol and triglycerol levels in rats (Mishra et al.2010).
- Analgesic: according to Uche and Aprioku(2008), J.curcas methanolic leaf was confirm to possess pain relief property which validate its use for rheumatism/arthritis pains by traditional doctors.
- Wound Healing: the methanolic extract of leaves of J.curcas formulated in ointment facilitate wound healing (Esimone et al.2009)
- Blood clothing: extracts from the dry leaves of J.curcas is poured on cut wound to promote blood clotting thereby reducing blood loss
- Antifertility: the methanolic, petroleum ether extracts of J.curcus caused foetal respiratory by interrupting pregnancy occurrence at an early stage in rats after implantation Goonasekera et al. (1995)
TOXICITY:The seeds of J.curcas contains the most toxic compounds in the plant: phorbol esters and curcin. The chemicals are also present in all the parts of the plant and so care must be taken when administering this herb.
DISCLAIMER: the highlighted medicinal functions of this plant are for educational purposes only and not to be taken as a prescription for the treatment of any ailment. The use of herbs requires prescription by herbal specialist. The author and the company shall not be held responsible for any side effects arising from mis-use of this herb.