Castor oil
Castor oil is a
vegetable oil obtained from the
castor bean (or preferably
castor seed as the castor plant,
Ricinus communis, is not a member of the
bean family).
Castor oil has an unusual composition and chemistry, which makes it quite valuable. Ninety percent of fatty acids in castor oil are
ricinoleic acid. Ricinoleic acid, a
monounsaturated, 18-carbon
fatty acid, has a
hydroxyl functional group at the twelveth carbon, a very uncommon property for a biological fatty acid. This functional group causes ricinoleic acid (and castor oil) to be unusually
polar, and also allows chemical derivitization that is not practical with other biological oils. Since it is a polar
dielectric with a relatively high
dielectric constant (4.7), highly refined and dried Castor oil is sometimes used as a dielectric fluid within high performance high voltage
capacitors.
Castor oil maintains its fluidity at both extremely high and low temperatures.
Sebacic acid is chemically derived from castor oil. Castor oil and its derivatives have applications in the manufacturing of
soaps,
lubricants, hydraulic and
brake fluids,
paints,
dyes,
coatings,
inks, cold resistant
plastics,
waxes and polishes,
nylon,
pharmaceuticals and
perfumes.
The
poison ricin is made from the
byproducts in the manufacture of castor oil.
About 1 % of global castor oil production goes into medical or health store products. It is used to ease
constipation and as an
emetic to induce
vomiting. Consumption of large amounts of castor oil (below lethal doses, such as one bottle) can induce
labor in near-term
pregnant women. It is notorious for its strong taste, which was for many years a standard gag in
comic strips,
animated cartoons, and
The Little Rascals / Our Gang short films.
Castor Oyl,
Olive's brother in the comic strip
Thimble Theatre was named for it.
Rubbing castor oil into the skin above arthritic joints can significantly reduce the pain of arthritis.
In
Fascist Italy under the regime of
Benito Mussolini, castor oil was one of the tools of the
blackshirts.
Political dissidents were force-fed large quantities of castor oil by Fascist
paramilitary groups. This technique was said to have been originated by
Gabriele D'Annunzio. Victims of this treatment would experience severe
diarrhea and
dehydration, often resulting in death.
Sometimes when the blackshirts wished to make sure that the victim would die rather than simply be badly disabled, they would mix
gasoline with the castor oil.
It is said that Mussolini's power was backed by "the
bludgeon and castor oil."
*
Castrol*
Castor wax
