Exploring Castor Oil’s Health and Beauty Benefits

Mar 15, 2024 - 04:09

Updated: 2 years ago

Exploring Castor Oil’s Health and Beauty Benefits

Despite once quoted as being “dreadfully uneasy to take,” castor oil has many healing qualities recognized from ancient times to today.

19th-century American humorist Josh Billings once said: “Advice is like castor oil, easy enough to give but dreadful uneasy to take.” Though advice about the subject is plentiful to be retrieved on social media or via other web sources, I will set out to not give advice, but rather to present worthwhile, research-driven facts about the pale-yellow liquid pressed from castor beans. Therefore, leaving the decision up to you to deem castor oil a desirable natural remedy or not.

Although “dreadful uneasy to take,” consumers seem to hold the colorless oil in high esteem.

Producing 1.65 million tons of castor oil seeds in 2021, India was the market leader, followed by China, Thailand, and Myanmar, making the Asia-Pacific region the largest source of castor beans globally. With a global industry value of $1.2 billion in 2022 and an expected compound annual growth rate of 4.9 percent, castor oil’s commerce offers lucrative opportunities in the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries.

That being said, are the health claims about Ricinus communis seed oil circulating on social media true? Or is this the industry’s way of generating even more interest in their product? Are castor oil’s applications scientifically researched? Or does traditional wisdom—or folly—lead the way? Is it safe for you to follow these widely disseminating online testimonies? Or should you be wary?

Castor Oil’s Modern Therapeutic Relevance

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves castor oil as a stimulative laxative, meaning that officials recognize the benefits of application in cases of constipation and see value in the oil’s use in certain types of medical procedures, for example during preparation of the bowel before a colonoscopy.

The administration also acknowledges that castor oil has been used in alternative medicine for centuries, yet, the lack of modern research prohibits the agency from approving further medicinal uses. Consequently, we need to look to other sources to answer the above questions.

A review article about the pharmacological activities of the castor bean plant (Ricinus communis) was published in the Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. The review found that though constituents like ricin and ricinine give the plant toxic effects, on the other hand, “the compounds have been reported to exhibit ... antidiabetic ... anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, hepatoprotective ... and wound-healing activities.”

The abstract mentions an extensive list of ailments for which the long-established use of castor oil has been recommended in traditional medicine. Examples include abdominal disorders and constipation, arthritis and rheumatism, muscle aches and chronic headaches, gallbladder pain, and menstrual cramps, as well as insomnia, to name a few.

It seems that castor oil’s healing qualities could continue to carry relevance into modern times. Present research about various applications confirms this.

Soothing to Skin

Castor oil has moisturizing qualities. It increases the production of collagen. Its antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties make castor oil a favorable ingredient in biocidal wound dressings, lotions, and creams treating acne, redness, or other skin irritations of the skin, as well as after-sun products.

Even hyperpigmentation, caused by an increased production or distribution of melanin, can be treated with castor oil. Those dark skin spots were the topic of a dermatological clinical trial in which 25 patients were instructed to use castor oil cream twice daily for two months. Results indicated that the therapy “significantly reduced the melanin level, wrinkles, and skin laxity” in treated areas.

The Journal of Oleo Science concerns itself primarily with the properties of oils and fats. The authors of a 2022 article confirm castor oil’s usefulness “as a bactericidal, anti-inflammatory, and antiherpetic agent,” which makes it a valuable anti-viral in cold-sore formulations and other herpes-virus treatments.

Based on all these favorable qualities, the cosmetic industry uses castor oil as an ingredient that shields the skin against environmental influences. Furthermore, it functions as an agent against premature aging of the skin. It reduces wrinkles, and prevents new ones from developing, especially in combination with virgin coconut oil, another study finds.

Calming to the Eyes

In addition, castor oil seems a suitable, safe, and tolerable therapeutic agent for people suffering from dry eyes, blepharitis (inflammation and swelling of the eyelids sometimes caused by an overgrowth of microscopic mites), or meibomian gland dysfunction. The oil displays “strong anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, anti-nociceptive, analgesic, antioxidant, wound healing and vaso-constrictive properties,” states a 2021 review published in Clinical and Experimental Optometry. Studies comprised in the review indicated that a topical application of castor oil increased the tear film layer and improved diagnosing capabilities through ocular surface staining tests.

However, other sources suggest castor oil’s non-sterility may be a reason not to use it in the eyes.

Enhances Hair Growth and Suppleness

Indigenous knowledge of hair oils and their usage was published in a 2022 review, which showed that castor oil adds moisture to the hair, nourishes hair follicles, and protects irritated scalp. Its fungicidal qualities also counteract dandruff, as well as other “fungal and microbial infections.” In addition, the oil might even aid hair growth.

The combination of castor oil’s properties may provide hair with extra shine and elasticity, and soothe dry and red scalp.

Another study titled “Bioactive-Based Cosmeceuticals: An Update on Emerging Trends” cites castor oil as being “used as a component in hair oils, as it moisturizes the scalp, eases dandruff and, additionally, complements the fitness of hair follicles and, in turn, promotes hair growth.”

Conversely, a 2022 review published in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology evaluated 22 articles on the topic of hair oils in “skin of color patients.” Although castor oil showed some evidence of “improving hair quality by increasing hair luster,” the remedy’s performance was weak regarding hair growth or the management of infestation. In this case, coconut oil outranked castor oil.

Promotes Healthy Nails

Castor oil is a common ingredient in cuticle softeners, nail creams, and hand lotions—it’s also in nail polish and enamel removers.

Its healing anti-microbial qualities come to fruition when used against toe and fingernail fungus. An Italian study examined 25 patients and treated them with a new formulation featuring castor oil as one of its main ingredients. Sixty percent of treated individuals were healed completely within five months of using the topical application.

“Skin absorption” is a way for various substances or medicinal products to enter the body from the outside via the skin. When castor oil is utilized in the form of castor oil packs, the body benefits from the skin’s ability to assimilate medicinal properties of the oil. This treatment method is mainly used when targeting internal maladies.

Castor Oil and the Digestive Tract

A clinical trial in elderly patients who had suffered from constipation for a decade or longer showed that castor oil packs are a type of valuable treatment for this ailment. Although the frequency of bowel movements did not increase, nor did the amount of feces moved, however, the treatment did affect excrement consistency and made it easier to pass, leading to less straining.

Castor oil’s clearing effects as a stimulant laxative seem common knowledge. Ingest a tablespoon or two of the oil on an empty stomach—and a few hours later—relief in the form of a visit to the bathroom should set in. However, bowel evacuation studies have also reported side effects such as abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. Hypomotility is another concern. As castor oil increases gastrointestinal transition time, the intestine might get idle, which can lead to a decrease in gut motility.

Castor Oil’s Aid in Labor and Delivery

“Stimulation of movement” is another quality of Ricinus communis when it comes to promoting contractions in overdue pregnancies. Scientists of the Goethe Universität in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, were able to explain the mechanism of castor oil through research on mice—thereby clarifying that freed ricinoleic acid is absorbed through the intestinal mucosa, “then acts on EP3 receptors in the muscle cells in the intestines and uterus, thus stimulating intestinal and labor activity.”

Castor oil has also proven effective in human studies.

A single dose of 60 milliliters (ml) castor oil, in some trials mixed with fruit juice, was given to participating women in eight studies compiled in a 2022 review. Researchers looked into castor oil’s efficacy to induce labor in post-term pregnancies. The studies from Iran, Israel, and Nigeria, concluded that the “oral administration of castor oil is effective for cervical ripening and labor induction.”

The recipe of these so-called “midwife’s brews” can change depending on the administrator. Another German study of the Universitäts-Frauenklinik Ulm employed the following “cocktail”: “20 ml castor oil, 20 ml almond butter, 10 ml sparkling wine, and 100 ml apricot juice.”

However, in all cases, the process should be monitored closely by a midwife or an obstetrician to ensure safe intervention.

Applications in the Course of Time and Place

Castor bean is of tropical origin. Ancient traditional medicines in the Mediterranean and Eastern cultures knew and utilized the castor plant for millennia. Ancient Egyptians, Hippocrates, and ancient Greek herbalists all recognized the plant’s laxative action. It was used for treatment of urinary diseases and detoxification—though mostly to cure ailments related to the digestive system.

The ancient Indian medical system, Ayurveda, highlights the castor plant for gastrointestinal uses, as well as for inflammation, fever, skin disease, and lumbago.

Yunani, the traditional Perso-Arabic medicine, verifies all of these treatments, plus, it coincides with historical Western medicine on leaf application to breasts for the promotion of lactation.

An article titled “Ricin: An Ancient Story for a Timeless Plant Toxin” was published in the journal Toxins and provides details to anyone interested in a comprehensive history of the castor oil plant.

An additional thorough source for those interested in Ricinus communis is published in the International Journal of Toxicology. The 47-page pdf document can be downloaded.

A Case for Castor Oil

Castor oil has been employed as a plant remedy since antiquity. Although modern research will not be able to change the “dreadful unease of taking” the liquid, its methods could surely shed additional light on the working mechanisms of this plant remedy, and therefore, foster natural healing methods.