Castor Oil
Castor Oil
Our castor oil is produced by pressing ripe seeds that have had their outer covering (hull) removed. The hull contains a deadly poison called ricin. Castor oil has been used as medicine for centuries. Ricin from the hull of the castor seed has been tested as a chemical warfare agent
Castor oil is a vegetable oil obtained by pressing the seeds of the castor oil plant (Ricinus communis). The common name "castor oil," from which the plant gets its name, probably comes from its use as a replacement for castoreum, a perfume base made from the dried perineal glands of the beaver.
Castor oil is a colourless to very pale yellow liquid with a distinct taste and odour. Its boiling point is 313 °C (595 °F), and its density is 961 kg/m3. It is a triglyceride in which approximately 90 percent of the fatty acid chains are ricinoleates. Oleate and linoleates are the other significant components.
Castor oil and its derivatives are used in the manufacturing of soaps, lubricants, hydraulic and brake fluids, paints, dyes, coatings, inks, cold-resistant plastics, waxes and polishes, nylon, pharmaceuticals and perfumes.
Castor Seed Beans
Our castor seed is the source of our castor oil, which has a wide variety of uses. The seeds contain between 40% and 60% oil that is rich in triglycerides, mainly ricinolein. The seed also contains ricin, a water-soluble toxin, which is also present in lower concentrations throughout the plant.
Just be sure not to eat the beans from which the oil comes. If castor beans are chewed and swallowed, they can release ricin, one of the most toxic poisons known to man. Eating just one or two castor beans can easily cause the demise of the eater
Castor Plant
Ricinus communis, the castor bean or castor oil plant, is a species of perennial flowering plant in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae. It is the sole species in the monotypic genus, Ricinus, and subtribe, Ricininae.
The leaves are large, palmately lobed, have 8 points, are slightly serrated, and have very large central veins. The seeds are contained in prickly or smooth, three-membered capsules, also known as the fruit. Each capsule contains its own seed.