Comparison of Heavy Metals and Major Nutrients in Different Parts of The Medicinal Plant Ricinus Communis L. Collected from an Industrial Belt (Eloor) and Coastal Area (Wellington Island) of Kerala

The present work was carried out to compare the heavy metal and major nutrient accumulation and their distribution in plant parts of the medicinal plant Ricinus communis L. The plant contains triglycerides of ricinoleic, isoricnoleic, stearic, and linoleic acids. The castor oil extracted from the plant is used to treat chronic constipation, acute diarrhoea and joint pains. For the present study the plant was collected from Eloor (industrial belt) and Wellington Island (coastal area) which are two different regions of central Kerala. The metals considered for study were Lead, Cadmium, Manganese, Zinc, Iron and Copper and major nutrients like Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium. The present investigation showed regional variations in the levels of metals in plant parts and soil, It is suggested to evaluate the presence of heavy metals before using for medicinal preparations.