Castor oil is a vegetable, and multi-purpose oil pressed from castor beans. It popularly used from thousand years for health and beauty. This oil is extracted from seeds of Ricinus communis plant.

The castor beans hold a toxic enzyme known as ricin. However, after the heating process of castor bean for extracting oil deactivate the ricin and make it safe.

It is best known for several pharmaceutical and medicinal uses. It is common additional foods for skin care, medications.

During ancient Egypt, castor oil was burned as fuel to light the lamps. It is also used for natural remedy to treat the ailment such as eye irritation, labor stimulation in pregnancy.

Castor oil – Nutritional composition

Ricinoleic acid is most sufficient component of castor oil. It forms about 90% of the oil. Other acids content includes:

Linoleic acid – 4%

Oleic acid – 3%

Stearic acid – 1%

Other linolenic fatty acids – >1%

Work as a natural moisturizer

Castor oil contains rich amount of ricinoleic acid, which is a monounsaturated fatty acid. These fat types work as humectants and useful for moisturizing skin.

The use of humectants preserves moisture by limiting water loss from the outer skin layer.Â Castor oil is often used as a cosmetic to boost hydration and used in skin care products such as makeup, lotions, and cleansers.

You can also alternate castor oil with store-bought lotions and moisturizers.

Most of the popular skin moisturizing products available in the market contain harmful chemicals such as perfumes, preservatives, and dyes. These chemicals can cause to irritate the skin and harm your skin.

Replacing these products with castor oil can help to lower your exposure to harmful substances. Additionally, castor oil is affordable and uses for body and face skin care.

Usually, castor oil is thick, and it is quickly mixed with other skin friend oils such as coconut oil, almond oil, olive oil to make it ultra-hydrating moisturizer.

However, using castor oil for skin is generally safe, but it may cause allergy for some people.

Castor oil cure constipation

Castor oil effectively helps to relieve constipation. This oil is an energizer laxative. Consuming castor oil helps the bowel to move faster. Remember to use castor oil in a restricted manner. Use of excess castor oil impairs the functions of bowel muscles. Such condition needs a doctor helps to treat the condition.

According to studies, castor oil quickly relieves constipation symptoms. While excretion castor oil helps to triggers discharge before a bowel movement.

Make sure to watch out dosage no more than 15 ml that is equal to 3 teaspoons. After consuming castor oil, you will experience bowel movement in 2-3 hours. You may experience vomiting or nausea for treating constipation. It is a normal side effect if increase you can take doctor help.

Induce Labor

During your overdue, you may want to start your labor that time castor oil is the best thing to use. Castor oil contains labor inducing properties, which is a laxative. It creates spasms in your intestines and stimulates your bowel and vagal nerves. It creates discomfort in the uterus and induces contractions.

According to a small study, women using castor oil are more prone to get labor within 24-hours. Another study tells that castor oil is a safe and non-pharmacological approach for inducing labor. Castor oil also triggers the labor in multiparous post-date in women.

There are also some studies, which shows not induction of labor after using castor oil. The study suggests no harm to the baby and mother. It completely depends on health and pregnancy.

Inducing labor is a safe and healthy medical decision for the safety of the baby. This method is suggested while late terms of pregnancy between 41 to 41 weeks and 6-days. Everything should be done under your doctor observation.

Treat Arthritis

Using castor oil helps to benefit in lowering inflammation. As castor oil contains ricinoleic acid, it provides excellent anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties.

As castor oil contains ricinoleic acid, it lowers down the inflammation from its amazing anti-inflammatory and analgesic qualities. You can mix it in topical application to get effective results.

According to another study, castor oil can be used for healing primary knee osteoarthritis effectively. Consuming castor oil capsule three times every day for four weeks has shown improvement in the symptoms.

You can easily use the castor oil for treating arthritis by applying topically or oil pack.

Improves Wound Healing

You can improve the wound by using castor oil. It creates a moist environment in the wound and prevents sores occurred by dryness.

You may find a popular ointment called Venelex which contain castor oil and Peru balsam to treat the wounds. The Peru balsam is obtained from Myroxylon tree.

Using castor oil helps to stimulate the tissue growth so that block can be between the environment and wound and reduce the infection risk. It also lowers the cornification and dryness that can contribute to grow dead skin cells and stop wound healing.

According to studies, ointments having castor oil provide healing effects to ulcers which grow from long-time pressure on the skin.

Another study discovered that ointment having castor oil provided effects for healing wounds in 861 nursing home with pressure ulcers.

People who use castor oil for healing wounds experience faster recovery rate in less time in comparison to other options.

Treat Gallstones

There is less research on this viewpoint. But unreliable evidence recommends the use of castor oil packs. These packs help to reduce the inflammation and pain related to gallstones.

Keeping the warm pack on your affected part of the abdomen can help. Take your doctor help before using castor oil for gallstones.

Treat Infertility

Castor oil has been in use for treating reproductive system problems from centuries. You can use castor oil packs for the best therapy for promoting fertility massage and cleansing.

However, some studies recommend that there is more study required. But some researches tell that castor oil helps to eliminate the blockage of fallopian tubes. Blockage in fallopian tubes is one of the foremost reason for infertility in women, which is also named an infertility-tubal-factor.

Benefit Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis causes you inflammation of solid tissues running around your foot bottom, which connect your bone of heel to toes.

According to one study, castor oil provides the best relief to patients suffering from plantar heel spurs. A plantar heel spur is a health condition linked with plantar fasciitis.

Comfort fibroid symptoms

Fibroids are tiny tumors that spread in the uterus. These cysts are non-cancerous.

There is no research telling the beneficial outcomes from castor oil for treating fibroids. But some unscientific evidence recommends that the oil can helps to ease constipation.

Keeping castor oil pack on the pelvis for 30 minutes helps to ease the related pain. It raises the energy flow to the pelvis area.

Treat Hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids are enlarged veins in the end part of rectum and anus. These often cause bleeding and discomfort.

According to studies castor seeds can treat hemorrhoids. It can be linked to anti-inflammatory qualities of castor seeds and oil.

However, you need to have doctor advice to find the effectiveness of castor oil for hemorrhoids.

Help Endometriosis Treatment

Endometriosis is a disease in which the tissues grow outside of the uterus. This condition causes menstrual irregularities and pain.

There is less research about castor oil for treating endometriosis. Still, the anecdotal testimony confirms the castor oil. Directly message the abdomen, which can relieve the pain. You can also use the warm castor oil pack for relieving pain.

You can also mix relaxing essential oil such as lavender oil for relaxing further pelvis muscles pain.

Prevent Signs of Aging

Castor oil also benefits to prevent aging signs such as wrinkles. This oil fight with skin inflammation and reduce free radicals damage linked with aging.

You can use castor oil under your eyes and around mouth, forehead, neckline, and chin. Keep the oil overnight and wash it in the morning. Gently massage the oil over skin and keep it for 20 minutes. You can wash it with normal water and follow the routine.

Be cautious about skin reactions such as redness, itching, rashes, and swelling. You can do a patch test before using castor oil on the skin.

Treat acne and scars

Castor oil carries inflammation preventing traits, which helps to treat scars and acne. Daily clean your face for excellent effects.

Dip a clean cloth in warm water and pour some castor oil. Lightly massage the oil containing cloth on your face in the circular actions.

You can practice this routine before sleeping every night. Keep the castor oil overnight on your night. People with oily skin can use castor oil infrequently.

It is the best way for treating scars and reducing inflammation by soothing your skin.

Applying enough amount of castor oil in the morning and night helps to fade the stretch marks.

It also helps to prevent sunburns because it contains SPF value nearly-6 and work as sunscreens.

The benefit of treating Eczema and Psoriasis

According to animal studies, ricinoleic acid present in castor oil helps to relieve the inflammation and pain. These qualities could possibly help to treat eczema and psoriasis.

Though, there is no direct research to claim about castor oil in this regard. You can apply castor oil on affected parts before going to sleep. Let the oil get absorb in the night and moisturize your skin.

This oil also fights with fungal infection and candida. According to one study, castor oil shown improvement in reducing candida albicans from impure roots of tooth inhuman.

Additionally, castor oil helps to treat melasma, which is a condition causing brown patches on the face. One study discovered that phenol-castor oil peel lowers the pigments in case of melasma.

There is also research, which shows castor oil helps to treat ringworm by its content of undecylenic acid and active compounds.

Heal Moles

There is no research claiming the confirmation of castor oil treating mole, but unscientific evidence shows the improvement in moles treatment from castor oil.

You can rub the castor oil directly on the mole part on your skin to get effective results. Practice this method two times every day for noticeable results.

You can also try the home remedy of baking soda and three drops of castor oil to get a smooth consistency. Apply this blend directly over the mole. Then, add adhesive bandage on the mole. You can do this treatment before going to bed and remove the bandage in the morning. Wash off the applied blend.

Treat Genital Warts

Genital warts are infectious, fleshy growth in the parts of the genital area. It is a common, sexually transmitted infection in men and women.

They consist of fibrous abundances by the thick outer layer. It can appear around the male’s anus, scrotum, and penis and in female’s cervix, vulva, vagina, or anus.

The genital wart starts as non-cancerous, but over time they convert into the cancerous disease.

Anecdotal evidence tells that using castor oil on the genital wart every day helps to reduce it. Additionally, you can use a thin slice of garlic and strip in the place, this help to prevent further warts.

Heal Chapped Lips

As lips are a delicate part of the body, it is more likely to get an injury, and chapping.

Here are the factors that affect your lips.

Environmental affecting factors: Chilled weather and pollution
Harsh cosmetics products
Lifestyle factors, such as smoking.
Constant exposure to products that cause discoloration and dryness affect lips.

Castor oil is a powerful ingredient for lips health. It helps to heal chapped lips from its content of vitamin E and other minerals and antioxidants.

Castor oil is a good source of omega fatty acids that help the skin to stay hydrated and refreshed. These fatty acid helps to stimulate healthy tissue growth and repair damaged cells. It provides you smooth complexions and blemishes free skin.

Castor oil is especially dense and has an oily texture. It holds ricinoleic acid a natural moisturizer. Applying castor oil helps to moisturize your lips and make them look soft.

Be careful while applying castor oil on lips, because consuming this oil can cause reactions. Doing a patch test can be helpful.

Promote Hair Growth

As castor oil contains anti-inflammatory qualities, it helps to treat the dandruff problem. You can apply castor oil on your scalp and wash after two hours with shampoo.

It also treats seborrheic dermatitis, a condition of the scalp that causes inflammation and scaly patches.

Some experts of castor oil tell that it can cure split ends. They also advise that mixing mustard oil, jojoba oil, and castor oil may help to reverse the grey hair. However, more research needed about castor oil for hair growth.

Castor oil also benefits to fight hair diseases such as folliculitis, which happened from hair follicles infection. The content of ricinoleic acid in castor oil enhances the blood circulation of the scalp and helps gain better nutrition. This acid also helps in balancing the pH level of the scalp.

Castor oil comprises plenty of antioxidants that stimulate keratin in your hair and make it more stronger and smoother.

Fights Fungus

Castor oil also helps to fight with fungus. Candida albicans is a type of fungus linked to dental problems such as overgrowth of the root canal and gum infections. It has antifungal qualities, which can help to fight candida and help to manage oral health.

According to a test tube study, castor oil reduces candida albican from infectious tooth roots.

Also, castor oil helps to cure denture problems linked to stomatitis. It is a sensitive condition happened through excess candida. It is a common issue in senior people after wearing dentures.

According to the study of 30 senior people with denture linked stomatitis discovered that castor oil treatment showed improvement in the clinical symptoms of stomatitis and inflammation.

According to another study discovered that brushing with soaked dentures in castor oil containing reduce the candida in elders.

How to Prepare a Castor Oil Pack

Castor oil is a strong home remedy for treating several health issues. Making a castor oil pack can be handy in times of need.

Ingredients

Castor oil
A large glass jar
Dye – Free wool

Method

Fold dye-free wool 3-times. There should three layers.
Keep this wool in the glass jar.
Add some castor oil in the jar and shake well to distribute oil on the cloth.
Take out the cloth and use it in the needed area. This is your castor oil pack.
Lying down with slightly raised feet is the best way to get effectiveness. You can stay in this position for 20-30 minutes.
Let the castor oil get absorbed in the problem areas.
Once you complete, you can wash or wipe the extra castor oil with a dry cloth.

Castor Oil Side Effects

With huge benefits, castor oil may cause side effects in some people, which is totally depend on health types. Here are the possible side effects of castor oil.

Nausea

Overuse of castor oil can cause nausea. Frequent nausea symptoms may lead to electrolyte imbalance and serious dehydration. This condition also disturbs your heart rhythm.

According to an Iranian study, castor oil makes nauseous. As castor oil stimulates laxatives from frequent usage, it may be because of poor palatability.

Some people may suffer from nausea accompanied by vomiting and result in constipation.

Diarrhea

Castor beans include ricin, which is a kind of toxic substance. There are no specific symptoms, but ricin can cause diarrhea.

Skin Rashes

According to a research study, castor oil may cause mild skin irritation such as hives and itching. Therefore, doing a patch test can help to prevent a reaction.

Muscle Cramps

Castor oil is an amazing laxative, but it can cause you cramps and weakness due to laxative overdose. When you have muscle cramps because of castor oil, get immediate medical help.

The content of ricin in castor beans causes the muscles pain through inhaling the dust containing ricin. Also swallowing whole castor beans also cause poisoning than chewing the beans.

Dizziness

Overdose of castor oil can create dizziness and side effects of breath shortness and fainting.

According to the report of Centers-for-Disease-Control-and-Prevention, where an individual who go subcutaneously injected castor extract and the person got the side effects of nausea and dizziness.

Ricin Toxicity

It can be shocking to know the overdose of ricin is toxic. It can kill the human being if increase as small as grains of salt. There is no cure for it. Ricin is a toxic protein present in castor oil seeds that harm birds, beetles after eating.

Note: Do not directly chew the castor beans because it contains ricin that causes injury. Use only castor oil, which is free of ricin to get the benefits.

Harmful to Kids

Castor oil is disreputable for creating disturbing impacts on children. Therefore, we encourage parents against castor oil usage for children. In very needful condition, you need to take expert health care advice.

Avoid using castor oil for children with age 2-years because the effect of laxative can be harsh. Young children are also sensitive for effects of castor oil.

Final words, castor oil is popular from ancient world for effectively treating several diseases. It is recommended to use it with care and under the guidance of an expert. Do a patch test before using for skin, and hair.

Do share your experience with castor oil.

Benefits and Uses of Castor Oil