Castor is a hardy plant that is easily grown, resistant to drought, and can tolerate different types of soils. The plants can yield up to about 350 to 900 kg of oil per hectare and is an important oil seed crop with great utilitarian value spanning manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and agricultural industries.
Caster plant is documented to have beneficial effects as an antioxidant, anti-fertility, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, central nervous system stimulant, antidiabetic, insecticidal and larvicidal, and many other medicinal properties. This article seeks to give an overview of what are castor plants used for.
What Are Castor Plants Used For?
The castor plant (Ricinus communis L) is a hardy perennial shrub from the Euporbiaceiae family with different parts of its plant used across the globe for treating a variety of ailments.
In fact, studies have shown that about 80% of the world’s population still depends on traditional herbal medicines. The extracts or the isolated compounds of castor plants have been found to have potent activity against various ailments. In addition, castor extract may contain components that have potent active ingredients such as bulking agents, fillers, and diluents.
Castor plant has been proven to be in use since ancient times and is still as important today and is being used as a powerful source of effective and safe remedies against many diseases.
The extracts have been intensely used as crude drugs in traditional medication, which resulted in people gaining knowledge about the curing ability of the plant species.
In addition to the ingredients, with the development of pharmaceutical industries, much more avenues have been created on plant products, and castor plant is ranked high among the statistics as shown in research done in 2008.
The active constituents of the plant can be isolated from different parts and used directly as drugs or designed as pharmacologically active compounds with or without synthetic compounds.
What Are The Beneficial Effects of Castor Plant
Research has backed evidence that the castor plant possesses beneficial effects such as anthelmintic, antifertility, diuretic, and many other medicinal properties.
The prehistoric and contemporary therapeutic uses of castor plants have been researched in over fifty countries and literature revealed some pharmacological activity of the plant. Researchers are making efforts to verify the efficacy of the plant through further tests.
It is reported that the plant contains a huge number of medicinal properties such as antidiabetic and hepatoprotective activity. Animal research further showed that the root extracts of Ricinus communis when consumed for twenty (20) days have favorable effects on fasting blood glucose, lipid profile, and liver and kidney functions.
Antihyperglycemic Activity – Ricinus communis is reported to have promising value for the development of phytomedicine for diabetes. The leaf extract can protect against galactosamine. Fresh leaves are also believed to be an important commodity as they can offer protection against liver injury.
Antioxidant Effects – The seed extracts have very strong antioxidant activity and possess aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) activity.
The oil found in the seeds contains ascorbate peroxidase which possesses high antifertility activity in the female reproductive system. This is due to the pro-gestational activity and alternation in estrogen/progesterone balance as well as the direct effect on the uterus and fallopian tube.
Contraceptive Effects – The contraceptive effect of the seed extract of the castor plant is due to both hormonal and direct effects on the reproductive system.
Abortifacient Effects – Castor bean extract and ricin-A chain have abortifacient effects and if consumed for three consecutive days will result in a terminated pregnancy.
The anti-implantation and anti-ovulation effects of caster bean extract and ricin-A can result in a decrease in maternal body weight gain and in the death of all fetuses
Male Reproductive System – Castor seed extract can cause disorganization in the cytoarchitecture of the testes, disruption of the seminiferous tubules, and erosion of the germinal epithelium.
What Is Ricinine?
Ricinine is a natural alkaloid taken from the extract of the castor bean and has a typical central nervous system stimulant effect which can be used for treating memory loss, decreasing exploratory behavior, and catalepsy similar properties.
The therapeutic compounds in ricinine may be considered an effective cognitive drug for treating amnesia and seizures due to the ricinoleic acids present. The castor plant is the only plant oil that contains ricinoleic acids.
The anti-inflammatory activity and free radical scavenging activity of stable radicals contained in the root possess significant amounts which are due to the presence of phytochemicals such as flavonoids, alkaloids, and tannins found in the plant extract along with various biological activities.
The anti-inflammatory effects also help in easing pain, reducing swelling, and help in healing wounds. In addition, it is a natural laxative that helps muscle movement that thrusts firm through the intestines and assists in clearing the bowel.
There is also a steady demand for castor oil in the cosmetic industry which is largely due to the increase in the demand for creams and moisturizers based on the widespread consciousness and changing lifestyles of people.
Is Castor Oil In High Demand?
The demand for castor oil has been increasing on the international market due to its utilization in more than 700 uses ranging from medicine, cosmetics, biodiesel, plastics, and lubricants.
Click here for more information on castor oil products.
The oil is in high demand because of its unique ability to withstand high and low temperatures when compared with other vegetable oil.
Research has shown that on a global scale, the castor oil derivatives market size is worth around 1.5 billion US dollars and is estimated to grow to about two billion by the year 2028.
Conclusion
The castor plant is a hardy plant that grows in any conditions including drought and is easy to grow as it can withstand any type of soil conditions.
The castor plant has many beneficial health properties including antioxidant, anti-fertility, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, central nervous system stimulant, antidiabetic, insecticidal and larvicidal, and many other medicinal properties.
The Castor plant has been in use since ancient times and is still as important today and is being used as a powerful source of effective and safe remedies against many diseases.
It is one of the fastest-growing industries globally and has a diverse user base ranging from agriculture, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and manufacturing industries
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MazieT
It’s amazing the many plants that we grow and plants that are even grown in the wild that can help us in so many ways. what you said here about this Caster plant is documented to have beneficial effects as an antioxidant, anti-fertility, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, central nervous system stimulant, antidiabetic, insecticidal and larvicidal, and many other medicinal properties”.
Wow, now that is so much that the Castor plant can do benefiting us in so many ways, thanks so much for the insight into the Castor plant.
Hi Norman,
Thank you for your input. It is indeed a wonder at the many plants that grow in the wilds that are being neglected, yet have so many health benefits. The caster plant is one such plant that grows in the wild and is not used to its full potential.
The good thing is that we can learn and grow from each other to better our lives. Wishing you all the best.