Castor oil is a vegetable oil pressed from castor beans, the seeds of the plant Ricinus communis. [1] The seeds are 40 to 60 percent oil. [2] It is a colourless or pale yellow liquid with a distinct taste and odor.
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Its boiling point is 313 °C (595 °F) and its density is 0.961 g/cm 3. [3] It includes a mixture of triglycerides in which about 90 percent of fatty acids are ricinoleates. Oleic ... Find deals and low prices on oil of ricin at Amazon.com.
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Browse & discover thousands of brands. Read customer reviews & find best sellers Castor oil is a popular natural treatment for common conditions such as constipation and skin ailments. You can often find it in natural beauty products.Castor oil is a multipurpose vegetable oil that people have used for thousands of years. It’s made by extracting oil from the seeds of the Ricinus communis plant.These seeds, which are known as castor beans, contain a toxic enzyme called ricin. However, the heating process that castor oil undergoes during production deactivates the ricin, allowing the oil to be used safely.Castor oil has a number of medicinal, industrial, and pharmaceutical uses.
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It’s commonly used as an additive in foods, medications, and skin care products, as well as an industrial lubricant and biodiesel fuel component.In ancient Egypt, people burned castor oil as fuel in lamps, used it as a natural remedy to treat ailments like eye irritation, and even took it to stimulate labor in pregnancy (1).Here are 4 potential benefits and uses of castor oil. We also cover its use as a hair treatment and precautions to consider.See full list on healthline.comPerhaps one of the best-known medicinal uses for castor oil is as a natural laxative. It’s classified as a stimulative laxative, meaning that it increases the movement of the muscles that push material through the intestines, helping clear the bowels. Castor oil is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a stimulative laxative (2).Stimulative laxatives act rapidly and are commonly used to relieve temporary constipation or to clean out the bowel before medical procedures.Here’s generally how it works: When you consume castor oil by mouth, it’s broken down in the small intestine, releasing ricinoleic acid, the main fatty acid in castor oil.
Final Thoughts
The ricinoleic acid is then absorbed by the intestine, stimulating a strong laxative effect (2).Several studies have shown that castor oil can relieve constipation.For example, a 2011 study found that when older adults took castor oil, they experienced decreased symptoms of constipation, including less straining during bowel movements and lower reported feelings of incomplete bowel movements (3).See full list on healthline.comCastor oil is rich in ricinoleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid. These types of fats can be used to moisturize the skin. They act as occlusive moisturizers, which prevent or reduce water loss through the outer layer of the skin. (6, 7).Castor oil is used in cosmetics to promote hydration. Manufacturers often add it to products like lotions, makeup, and cleansers. You can also use this rich oil on its own as a natural alternative to store-bought moisturizers and lotions.Many popular moisturizing products found in stores contain potentially harmful ingredients like preservatives, perfumes, and dyes, which may irritate the skin and harm overall health (8).Swapping out these products for castor oil can help reduce your exposure to these additives.
Plus, castor oil is inexpensive and you can use it on both your face and body.Castor oil is thick, so people often mix it with other skin-friendly oils — like almond, olive, and coconut oil — to make an ultra-hydrating moisturizer. Though applying castor oil to the skin is considered safe for most, it can cause an allergic reaction in some people (9).See full list on healthline.comApplying castor oil to wounds creates a moist environment that may help promote healing and prevent sores from drying out.Venelex, a popular ointment used in clinical settings to treat wounds, contains a mixture of castor oil and Peru balsam, a balm derived from the Myroxylon balsamum tree (10).Venelex is used as a wound dressing for chronic and acute wounds and skin ulcers, including (11):•pressure ulcers•diabetic ulcers•burnsSee full list on healthline.comA number of bacteria and fungi, including Candida fungi, commonly grow on dentures. This can create oral concerns if dentures aren’t properly cleaned and stored (14).Candida species, like C. albicans, are especially problematic for people who wear dentures because they easily adhere to denture surfaces and mouth tissues. An overgrowth of Candida fungi can lead to a condition called denture stomatitis, an infection that leads to inflammation, redness, and irritation in the mouth (15). Interestingly, cleaning dentures with castor oil may help reduce the risk of developing denture stomatitis because castor oil can help kill bacteria and fungi. One study found that soaking contaminated acrylic teeth in a solution containing 10% castor oil for 20 minutes helped reduce the number of C. albicans as well as other harmful bacteria, including Streptococcus mutans and Staphylococcus aureus (16). What’s more, a 2013 study in 30 older people with denture-related stomatitis showed that treatment with a castor oil-containing mouthwash led to improvements in the clinical signs of stomatitis, including inflammation (17, 18).See full list on healthline.comMany people use castor oil as a natural hair treatment. This is because castor oil has moisturizing properties, which could help lubricate the hair shaft, increasing flexibility and decreasing the chance of breakage (20).Even though some people regularly use castor oil as part of their hair care routine, there’s currently no scientific evidence that castor oil helps promote hair health, stimulates hair growth, or reduces hair loss (21).The same goes for using castor oil on your eyelashes. Some people use castor oil for eyelash growth, but no scientific research has shown this is actually effective. Castor oil is also commonly used as a treatment for dandruff, a common scalp condition characterized by dry, flaky skin on the head. While some effective hair treatments for dandruff do contain castor oil as an ingredient, there’s no evidence that castor oil on its own is effective for treating dandruff (22).In fact, castor oil could lead to a condition called acute hair felting in people with long hair. This condition causes the hair to become twisted and tangled, resembling a hard bird’s nest (23).One case study reported that after a 20-year-old woman with long hair used a combination of coconut oil and castor oil on her hair, it became severely matted immediately after washing. The study authors suggested that the thickness of the castor oil combined with the women’s very long hair led to sudden felting (23).See full list on healthline.comMany people use castor oil to treat a variety of concerns, either by ingesting the oil or applying it to the skin.Although castor oil is generally considered safe, it can cause adverse reactions and unwanted side effects in some people.If you’re interested in using castor oil, it’s important to keep the following potential side effects in mind:•Labor. Medical professionals sometimes use castor oil to induce labor in pregnant people. For this reason, people at all stages of pregnancy should avoid consuming castor oil (24).•Gastrointestinal (GI) side effects. While it can be an effective way to alleviate constipation, castor oil may cause GI side effects, like diarrhea, vomiting, cramping, and bloating. It may also cause dizziness. Only use it for constipation under medical supervision (2).•Allergic reactions. It may cause an allergic reaction in some people when applied to the skin. First try applying a small amount to a tiny patch of skin to see how your body reacts (10).See full list on healthline.comWhat is castor oil useful for?Some people use castor oil as a powerful laxative. It may also have moisturizing and wound-healing properties. Some people also use it to kill bacteria on dentures.Does castor oil work to grow hair?Castor oil appears to have moisturizing properties and some people use it as a hair treatment. But, there isn’t a lot of research in this area. It does not appear to affect hair growth.What happens when you rub castor oil on your stomach?Castor oil can be ultra moisturizing. Rubbing it, diluted with another oil, on the skin of your abdomen may soothe dry skin. However, some people may have allergic reactions to castor oil. So it is best to test any product you’re applying to the skin on a small area first.See full list on healthline.comPeople have used castor oil for thousands of years as a natural treatment for a variety of health issues.It can help relieve constipation and may even be used as a natural skin moisturizer and denture treatment. Though many people use castor oil as a treatment for dry or thinning hair, there’s no evidence that castor oil is effective for improving hair health or stimulating hair growth when used on its own.If you’re interested in using castor oil for constipation or any other health condition, talk with your healthcare professional first to determine whether castor oil is safe and appropriate to use for your specific health needs.See full list on healthline.comView allJul 23, 2025 · Castor oil is a thick, odorless oil made from the seeds of the castor plant. Its use dates back to ancient Egypt, where it was likely used as fuel for lamps as well as for medicinal and beauty... · The benefits of castor oil include constipation relief and skin moisturization. The oil may also help with wound healing. Castor oil may support digestive health, skin hydration, and overall wellness when used safely and correctly. This versatile oil, derived from the seeds of Ricinus communis, has been valued for centuries in traditional medicine and modern pharmacology. · In the Ayurvedic medicine system, it is used in various preparations due to its medicinal properties. Ricinus is one of the strong laxatives. All parts of this plant are poisonous but seeds contain ricin which is a poisonous compound. It is the best remedy to cure tooth ailments and constipation. Castor-oil plant, large perennial plant of the spurge family, grown commercially for the pharmaceutical and industrial uses of its oil and for use in landscaping. The oil-rich beanlike seeds contain the poison ricin, one of the most toxic substances known. · Castor oil is a thick, odorless oil made from the seeds of the castor plant. Its use dates back to ancient Egypt, where it was likely used as fuel for lamps as well as for medicinal and beauty... · The benefits of castor oil include constipation relief and skin moisturization. The oil may also help with wound healing. Castor oil may support digestive health, skin hydration, and overall wellness when used safely and correctly. This versatile oil, derived from the seeds of Ricinus communis, has been valued for centuries in traditional medicine and modern pharmacology. · In the Ayurvedic medicine system, it is used in various preparations due to its medicinal properties. Ricinus is one of the strong laxatives. All parts of this plant are poisonous but seeds contain ricin which is a poisonous compound. It is the best remedy to cure tooth ailments and constipation. Castor-oil plant, large perennial plant of the spurge family, grown commercially for the pharmaceutical and industrial uses of its oil and for use in landscaping. The oil-rich beanlike seeds contain the poison ricin, one of the most toxic substances known.
