Erand Mool Root Extract

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Erand Mool root extract is derived from the roots of Ricinus communis Linn. (Euphorbiaceae), the castor oil plant, used extensively in Ayurvedic medicine for anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, and laxative purposes. It is not a recognised food additive by major regulatory bodies (FDA, EFSA, FSSAI) and is primarily associated with traditional herbal/nutraceutical use.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

The Ricinus communis plant contains a toxic protein (ricin), a haemagglutinin (RCA120), and the alkaloid ricinine, though these are concentrated in seeds rather than roots; root extract phytotoxin levels are lower but still present. No established ADI exists for the root extract as a food ingredient, and no major regulatory body has granted it food-safe status. Sensitive populations including pregnant women, children, and those with kidney or liver disease should avoid it without medical supervision.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Restricted	EFSA has assessed ricin from Ricinus communis as an undesirable toxic substance. Ricinus communis root extract is not listed as an approved food additive or novel food ingredient in the EU. EFSA's 2008 opinion covers ricin as a contaminant in animal feed and addresses its toxicity concerns.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Restricted	Ricinus communis root extract does not appear as an approved food ingredient in the FSSAI non-specified food and food ingredients (NSF & FI) approved list as of May 2025. Its use in Ayurvedic formulations is governed separately under AYUSH/traditional medicine frameworks, not food safety regulations.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Restricted	FDA approval for Ricinus communis is limited to castor oil (seed-derived) as a stimulative laxative only. No approval exists for Ricinus communis root extract as a food ingredient or food additive under 21 CFR.source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Pregnancy — Ricinus communis has documented anti-fertility and uterine-contraction-inducing properties; consumption during pregnancy poses a risk of adverse reproductive outcomes.

Infants — No safety data exist for Ricinus communis root extract in infants; the presence of cyanogenic glycosides and alkaloids makes it inappropriate for this population.

Children — No established safe dose exists for children; the toxic alkaloid ricinine and cyanogenic glycosides in Ricinus communis root extracts pose unacceptable risk.

Liver Disease — Despite claimed hepatoprotective effects in animal studies, the absence of clinical safety data and potential for ricinine-related toxicity require medical supervision in individuals with liver disease.

Kidney Disease — Late-phase ricin toxicity (even from low-level exposure) can manifest as cytotoxic effects on the kidneys; patients with pre-existing kidney disease face heightened risk.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1PubMed. Phytochemical Composition and Multifunctional Applications of Ricinus communis L.: Insights into Therapeutic, Pharmacological, and Industrial Potential, 2025. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
2other. Castor Oil — StatPearls (NCBI Bookshelf), 2024. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
3PubMed. Phytochemical evaluation of the wild and cultivated varieties of Eranda Mula (Roots of Ricinus communis Linn.), 2013. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
4PubMed. Toxicological assessment of Ricinus communis Linn root extracts, 2011. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
5PubMed. Ricinus communis Intoxications in Human and Veterinary Medicine — A Summary of Real Cases, 2011. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
6EFSA. Ricin (from Ricinus communis) as undesirable substances in animal feed — Scientific Opinion of the Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain, 2008. efsa.europa.eu

Independently researched6 citations