Castor oil for arthritis, sciatica, and low back pain
Castor oil from castor oil plant seeds has been used for thousands of years to treat a wide variety of ailments, although there is very little scientific research; some negative side effects of castor oil have been reported, so caution should be exercised when experimenting with its use. The seeds of castor oil have a very high concentration of a special fatty acid, ricinoleic acid, which is believed to underlie the oil’s healing properties.
You probably know that many people consider castor oil a remedy for constipation. But you’re probably not aware that castor oil has antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal properties, or that it is used externally to treat various skin conditions, reduce pain, and stimulate the immune system.
- About the incredible benefits of castor oil
- History of castor oil seeds: Ricinus Communis
- Castor oil partly cures and partly kills
- Castor oil is NOT without side effects
- A home remedy that has stood the test of time
- Modern Medical Uses of Castor Oil
- Research supports the effectiveness of castor oil as an antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and immunostimulant
- Castor oil promotes healing by strengthening the immune system
- Topical application of castor oil
- When buying castor oil, be careful
- However, regardless of the research findings, you should be very careful when experimenting with castor oil because there are few scientific studies on the subject, to say the least, but there are a number of reports of unpleasant side effects that some people have experienced.
History of Castor Seeds: Ricinus Communis
Castor oil is derived from the seeds of the castor oil plant Ricinuscommunis, which has a very unusual chemical composition. Castor oil is a triglyceride composed of fatty acids, 90 percent of which are ricinoleic acid.
In lower concentrations, this unique fatty acid is also found in other seeds and oils (0.27 percent in cottonseed oil and 0.03 percent in soybean oil) and is believed to be responsible for the unique healing properties of castor oil. The castor oil is native to India.
Many centuries ago this plant was called “Palma Christi” because its leaves resembled the hand of Christ. This association probably arose from people’s reverence for the plant’s healing properties.
It was later used for medicinal purposes in ancient Egypt, China, Persia, Africa, Greece, Rome and eventually in 17th century Europe and America. Nowadays castor oil is widely used in industry. The stem of the plant has found applications in the textile industry, particularly in Russia, where castor oil is called “castor oil.
The oil has a homogeneous viscosity and does not freeze, so it is ideal for lubricating equipment in particularly cold climates. In addition to medical purposes, castor oil is currently used as:
- Food and flavoring additive
- Inhibitor of mold
- Ingredient in skin care and cosmetics (lipstick, shampoo, soap, etc.)
- In the manufacture of plastics, rubbers, synthetic resins, fibers, paints, varnishes, lubricants, sealants, dyes and leather goods; the lubricant company Castrol has even taken its name after castor oil
Castor oil was first used as a lubricant for airplanes in World War I. So, castor oil has a number of practical industrial applications. But did you know that the castor oil seeds used to make castor oil can be DEADLY DANGEROUS?
Partly castor oil seeds cure, and partly they kill!
The powerful toxin ricin is derived from a protein in castor oil seeds that, when ingested (orally, intranasally, or by injection), enters the ribosomes of cells and prevents protein synthesis, which kills cells. Ricin is obtained from the “pulp” that remains after the processing of castor oil seeds into oil.
As little as 1 milligram of ricin is fatal if inhaled or swallowed and much less if injected. Consumption of 5 to 10 castor oil seeds will also result in death.
There is no antidote for ricin poisoning, so it is used as a chemical weapon. But despite the fact that such a toxic component is also derived from the seeds, castor oil is not considered dangerous.
According to a final report on castor oil published in the International Journal of Toxicology, there is no need to worry about ricin contamination in castor oil because ricin does not get into castor oil. Castor oil has been added to cosmetic products for years without incident. In 2002, for example, castor oil and hydrogenated castor oil were reportedly used in 769 and 202 cosmetic products, respectively.
The Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives of the World Food Organization and the World Health Organization (WHO) set an acceptable daily intake of castor oil to 0.7 mg/kg body weight. This amounts to approximately one tablespoon for adults and one teaspoon for children. Oral ingestion of castor oil typically “blows through” the digestive tract within about four to six hours.
According to the International Castor Oil Association, studies of this oil, in which people received castor oil in a concentration of as much as 10 percent for 90 days, have found no adverse effects.
Although the FDA and the International Castor Oil Association have declared castor oil safe if you are going to try it, as I mentioned earlier, be especially careful because a number of negative side effects have been reported.
Castor oil is NOT devoid of side effects
The main side effects of castor oil are categorized into skin reactions and gastrointestinal distress, which is not too surprising given its effect on the intestinal walls.
Castor oil breaks down in the small intestine into ricinoleic acid, which has an irritating effect on the intestinal mucosa.
Because of this very effect, castor oil helps with constipation, but at the same time, this is why some people complain of gastrointestinal discomfort, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal side effects.
If you suffer from cramps, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcers, diverticulitis, hemorrhoids, colitis, prolapse, or have recently had surgery, you should probably avoid castor oil because of these possible adverse reactions.
Although castor oil has traditionally been used to induce labor in healthy pregnant women, there are numerous reports of nausea, including a 2001 study that found that almost all women experience nausea.
A home remedy that has stood the test of time
Despite the side effects, Native Americans traditionally boil the peels or husks of the seeds in milk and water and then drink the resulting decoction to relieve arthritis, low back pain and sciatica. As written in Williams’ article, castor oil plant is widely used in India for a wide variety of health problems, including:
- Constipation
- Dysentery
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Bladder and vaginal infections
- Asthma
Modern Medical Uses of Castor Oil
In general, the current medicinal uses of castor oil fall into five main categories:
- Remedy for gastrointestinal problems
- Antimicrobial (antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal) agent
- Stimulant for childbirth
- Anti-inflammatory and analgesic
- Stimulating immune and lymphatic systems.
- The oil also has beneficial effects when applied topically – it is beneficial for various skin conditions such as keratosis, dermatosis, wound healing, acne, ringworm, warts and other skin infections, sebaceous cysts, itching and even hair loss. In addition, castor oil and ricinoleic acid enhance the absorption of other substances through the skin. And castor oil shows some promise in treating cancer.
It is also reported in early clinical trials that ricin, when combined with an antibody, limits its toxic effects to malignant cells, shrinking tumors in lymphoma patients.
In fact, castor oil has reportedly been used to treat all of the following diseases. While I certainly cannot confirm the effectiveness of castor oil for all of these conditions (as it has not been researched enough to date), I will list them here as an illustration of the wide range of possible uses.
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Parkinson’s disease
- Cerebral palsy
- Arthritis
- Migraine and other headaches
- Cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder)
- Epilepsy
- Liver disease, including cirrhosis
- Scleroderma
- Appendicitis, colitis, and other intestinal problems
- Detoxification
- Cancer
- Eye irritation
- Gynecological problems
Studies support the effectiveness of castor oil as an antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and immune-stimulating agent
It’s hard to find research on castor oil, but I found a few notable ones, which I’ve summarized in the table below.
- Castor oil has been found to have a strong inhibitory effect on certain tumors.
- An Indian study in 2011 showed that castor oil leaf extract showed better antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria than gentamicin (their standard of comparison).
- A 2010 study showed that castor oil lotions were effective against constipation in the elderly.
- This 2009 study showed that castor oil was effective in relieving arthritis symptoms.
- In 1999, a study was conducted to determine if topical application of castor oil would stimulate the lymphatic system. The results were positive. After a two-hour treatment with castor oil lotions, there was a significant increase in T-11 cells within seven hours of treatment.
- In this 2000 study examining the effects of ricinoleic acid on inflammation, researchers found its “capsaicin-like” anti-inflammatory properties.
- Patients with occupational dermatitis may have a positive reaction to castor oil or ricinoleic acid.
Castor oil promotes healing by strengthening the immune system
One of the most compelling health benefits of castor oil, if true, is its support for the immune system. And you don’t have to swallow the oil to do this – just apply it externally.
The health benefits of oil lotions were extensively discussed by Edgar Casey and were studied after him by Dr. William McGary of Phoenix, Arizona, a follower of Case’s work and author of The Healing Oil. McGary reported that, when used properly, castor oil lotions improve the function of the thymus gland and other components of the immune system. Specifically, in two separate studies, he found that patients using castor oil lotions on the abdomen had significantly increased lymphocyte production compared to placebo lotions.
Lymphocytes are immune system cells that fight disease. They are produced and stored mainly in the lymphatic tissue (thymus gland, spleen and lymph nodes). Through hundreds of meters of lymphatic tubules, waste products are collected from the tissue and transported into the bloodstream for excretion – this process is called lymphatic drainage.
If the lymphatic system is not functioning properly, waste and toxins can accumulate, leading to ill health.
Lymphatic congestion is one of the main factors leading to inflammation and disease. This is where castor oil can help. When it is absorbed through the skin (according to Casey and McGary), the number of lymphocytes increases. This, in turn, accelerates the removal of toxins from tissues, promoting healing.
Topical application of castor oil
There are several ways to use castor oil topically. You can simply rub castor oil on the affected area of the skin. Or you can apply a bandage soaked in castor oil if you only treat a very small area.
For a larger or more systemic application, it can be used as a massage oil, which is reported to be particularly effective if rubbed along the spinal column, massaging along the lymphatic drainage pathways. But the most effective treatment with castor oil is castor oil lotions. To make a castor oil lotion, you will need:
- A high-quality, cold-pressed castor oil (see the last section of this article).
- A hot water bottle or heating pad
- Cellophane wrap, sheet, or plastic garbage bag
- Two or three pieces of 30 cm x 30 cm wool or flannel cloth, or one piece large enough to cover the entire treatment area, folded in triplicate
- One old large bath towel
Below are instructions for the preparation and application of castor oil (courtesy of Dr. Daniel H. Chong):
- Fold the flannel in three layers so that it can cover the entire upper abdomen and liver, or lay three squares overlapping.
- Soak the flannel in oil so it soaks in completely. The oil should be at room temperature.
- Lie on your back with your legs elevated (a pillow placed under your knees and feet is great), place the flannel soak directly on your stomach; cover the oiled flannel with clingfilm, and put a hot water bottle on top.
- Cover the whole thing with an old towel to keep it warm. Make sure the oil doesn’t get on whatever you’re lying on – it may leave stains. If necessary, cover that surface to protect it.
- Leave the lotion on for 45-60 minutes.
- After that, wash the oil off your skin with a solution of two tablespoons of baking soda per liter of water, or just soap and water. (Be sure to wash your towel separately, otherwise, castor oil will give off an unpleasant smell on other things.)
- The lotion can be used several times, adding more oil each time to keep the lotion soaked. Store it in a large zip-top bag or another plastic container in a convenient place, such as next to the bed. When the lotion begins to change color, replace it.
- For maximum effect, apply it at least four consecutive days a week for one month. Patients who do the lotions daily report the most effective effect.
- When buying castor oil, be careful
- As with everything else, you need to be careful about choosing the source of castor oil. Most of the oil now sold in stores is derived from castor oil seeds, heavily treated with pesticides, extracted with a solvent (usually hexane), deodorized or otherwise chemically treated, all of which destroy the beneficial phytonutrients and can even contaminate the oil with toxic substances.
Again, let me emphasize this: conclusions about the many health benefits of castor oil are based more on anecdotal observations than on scientific studies, and, in addition, side effects have been noted.
*These articles are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always consult your physician for any questions you may have about your medical condition.
