Castor Oil | ricinoleic acid |
| Category | anti-inflammatory |
Where to buy
 
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This is a quality Castor Oil, just the right thickness for the scalp.
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Castor Oil
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Information
| Description |
Castor Oil is thought to increase PGE2 but there are no studies of Castor Oil.
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| Typical Results |
Moderate regrowth
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| Typical Dosages |
Apply twice daily
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| Significant Side Effects |
None reported
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| Pharmacology Pharmacodynamics |
Castor oil was widely used to induce labor by US midwives in the past, but use has now declined. Reviews of trials and case reports find no evidence supporting this use. Doses cited range from 5 to 120 mL; however, no data are available to support these doses. One proposed mechanism of action is stimulation of endogenous prostaglandin E synthesis by ricinoleic acid.
No morbidity or mortality data are available in these studies for either mother or newborn. Nausea was commonly reported. Complications included amniotic fluid embolism after a single 30 mL dose and uterine rupture after a 5 mL dose in a woman with a previous cesarean delivery.
Laxative/purgative
The oil has long been used as a laxative and purgative following treatment for intestinal parasites. The components of castor oil are known to exert a cathartic effect.
Other uses
Ophthalmic
A small randomized clinical trial evaluating the efficacy of castor oil eye drops in treating meibomian gland dysfunction resulted in an increase in tear stability and a lubricating effect.
Vehicle/solubilizer
Castor oil is used for its water-insoluble lipid and surfactant properties in certain oral and injectable drugs and vitamin preparations, including cyclosporin A, phytonadione, tacrolimus, and carbemazepine.
Wound management
Castor oil is found in topical wound care preparations, often combined with Peru balsam and trypsin.
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Clinical Studies
| Clinical Studies | Abstract |
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Using a castor oil-balsam of Peru-trypsin ointment to assist in healing skin graft donor sites.
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Skin graft donor sites are partial-thickness wounds that are commonly managed with gauze-type dressings. As such, they often cause more pain and difficulty in healing than the graft-recipient site. A retrospective study was conducted to ascertain the effects of using a castor oil-balsam of Peru-trypsin containing ointment on skin graft donor sites in 36 consecutive patients (16 female, 20 male). All donor sites were epithelialized after 11 days (range 6 to 11 days, mean 8 days) and no wound complications were observed. Given these healing results and product ease of use, this particular formulation has become the facilities' current treatment of choice and further study is indicated and warranted.
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Castor oil induces laxation and uterus contraction via ricinoleic acid activating prostaglandin EP3 receptors.
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Castor oil is one of the oldest drugs. When given orally, it has a laxative effect and induces labor in pregnant females. The effects of castor oil are mediated by ricinoleic acid, a hydroxylated fatty acid released from castor oil by intestinal lipases. Despite the wide-spread use of castor oil in conventional and folk medicine, the molecular mechanism by which ricinoleic acid acts remains unknown. Here we show that the EP(3) prostanoid receptor is specifically activated by ricinoleic acid and that it mediates the pharmacological effects of castor oil. In mice lacking EP(3) receptors, the laxative effect and the uterus contraction induced via ricinoleic acid are absent. Although a conditional deletion of the EP(3) receptor gene in intestinal epithelial cells did not affect castor oil-induced diarrhea, mice lacking EP(3) receptors only in smooth-muscle cells were unresponsive to this drug. Thus, the castor oil metabolite ricinoleic acid activates intestinal and uterine smooth-muscle cells via EP(3) prostanoid receptors. These findings identify the cellular and molecular mechanism underlying the pharmacological effects of castor oil and indicate a role of the EP(3) receptor as a target to induce laxative effects.
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