Castor oil in food
In the food industry, castor oil (food grade) is used in food additives, flavorings, candy (i.e., chocolate), as a mold inhibitor, and in packaging. Polyoxyethylated castor oil (eg. Cremophor EL)is also used in the foodstuff industries.
Medicinal use of castor oil
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has categorized castor oil as "generally recognized as safe and effective" (GRASE) for over-the-counter use as a laxative, with its major site of action the small intestine.However, it is not a preferred treatment for constipation.Undecylenic acid, a castor oil derivative, is also FDA-approved for over-the-counter use on skin disorders or skin problems.Castor oil penetrates deep into the skin thanks to its Molecular Weight. At 298 u., research on transdermal absorption indicates castor oil will penetrate the stratum corneum since it is below the 500 u. required to do so
Ricinoleic acid is the main component of castor oil and it exerts anti-inflammatory effects.One study has found that castor oil decreased pain more than ultrasound gel or Vaseline during extracorporeal shock wave application.
Therapeutically, modern drugs are rarely given in a pure chemical state, so most active ingredients are combined with excipients or additives. Castor oil, or a castor oil derivative such as Cremophor EL (polyethoxylated castor oil, a nonionic surfactant), is added to many modern drugs, including:
Miconazole, an anti-fungal agent;Paclitaxel, a mitotic inhibitor used in cancer chemotherapy;
Sandimmune (cyclosporine injection, USP), an immunosuppressant drug widely used in connection with organ transplant to reduce the activity of the patient's immune system;
Nelfinavir mesylate, an HIV protease inhibitor;
Saperconazole, a triazole antifungal agent (contains Emulphor EL -719P, a castor oil derivative);
Prograf, an immunosuppressive drug (contains HCO-60, polyoxyl 60 hydrogenated Castor oil);Xenaderm ointment, a topical treatment for skin ulcers is a combination of Balsam Peru, Castor oil, and trypsin;
Aci-Jel, a gel used to create or maintain the acidity of the vagina (comprises acetic acid/oxyquinoline/ricinoleic acid - vaginal)
Traditional or folk medicines
The use of cold pressed castor oil in folk medicine predates government regulations. Cold pressed castor oil is tasteless and odorless when pure. Uses include skin problems, burns, sunburns, skin disorders, skin cuts, and abrasions. Castor oil can also be used to draw out styes in the eye by pouring a small amount into the eye and allowing it to circulate around the inside of the eyelid. The oil is also used as a rub or pack for various ailments, including abdominal complaints, headaches, muscle pains, inflammatory conditions, skin eruptions, lesions, and sinusitis. A castor oil pack is made by soaking a piece of flannel in castor oil, then putting it on the area of complaint and placing a heat source, such as a hot water bottle, on top of it. This remedy was often suggested by the American Healing Psychic, Edgar Cayce, given in many healing readings in the early mid-1900s.
Castor has been used to induce childbirth, but does not always work. Castor oil triggers cramping in the bowel (hence it being an effective laxative) and sometimes this cramping spreads to the uterus. In an overdue pregnancy in which the mother's cervix is already effacing and partially dilated, this cramping can become labor contractions. Castor oil induced labor can be stressful on the mother and fetus as the cramping can be quite severe, causing irregular, painful contractions, which can cause fetal distress. It also leaves the laboring woman quite dehydrated as a result of the vomiting and diarrea which result when the recommended dose of castor oil for labor induction is taken--2 oz, or about 8 tbsps. This leaves her without access to the energy she could otherwise derive from food or drink throughout her labor process. Some women prefer this method to a chemical induction in a hospital. Using castor oil for induction is not recommended without consulting a medical practitioner and is not recommended in a complex pregnancy.
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