Palm of Christ, Turkish hemp, Tree of Paradise - the names of one unique plant native to Ethiopia, which is healing and poisonous at the same time. It was used by healers and herbalists of Ancient Egypt and Rome. In Rus', the plant has been known since ancient times as castor bean. The name comes from the shape of the seeds - small, colorful, and mite-like. Unusual shrubs decorate summer cottages. The seeds of the plant are raw materials for medical and cosmetic products.
Description of the species
Castor bean belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family and is classified as a separate species. Its native climate is tropical.The plant spread first across South America and Asia, and then came to Russia. Castor bean is an evergreen shrub, but in a temperate climate zone it lives no more than a year.
Characteristics of castor beans:
| Parameter | Description |
| Bush height | 3-10 meters |
| Leaves | 50-80 centimeters long, split, with jagged edges, dark green with a red tint, on petioles 20-60 centimeters long. |
| Stems | Straight, round, hollow inside, covered with a waxy coating, pink, purple, red. |
| Flowers | White, light cream, collected in inflorescences, male and female on one plant. |
| Fruit | Round boxes, smooth or with spikes, 3 centimeters in diameter, red, brown, pink, green. |
| Seeds | Oval, convex on one side and concave on the other, separated by a longitudinal seam, with a smooth shiny surface and variegated mosaic coloring. |
Castor bean leaves are shaped like palm or maple leaves. The plant blooms in July and takes on a fantastic appearance when bright fruits appear among the reddish leaves. In different castor bean varieties, the mosaic coloring of the small seeds varies, giving them a resemblance to insects.
Useful and harmful properties
Castor bean seeds consist of 40-60 percent fatty oil. It is found in smaller quantities in the leaves. Castor oil is obtained from castor seed oil, which is known for its healing properties for the following diseases and problems:
- arthritis, rheumatism;
- hair loss;
- bronchitis;
- constipation;
- inflammation of the female reproductive system;
- calluses;
- warts.
Compresses with castor oil help with joint pain. A mixture with turpentine is a useful anti-cough rub. Castor oil softens corns and cleanses the skin of warts.
The laxative effect of the product helps cleanse the body when losing weight. To do this, you need to drink a teaspoon of oil orally in the morning or evening and abstain from food. You can drink after an hour. Depending on the dose, the effect of the drug occurs within six hours.
Another laxative is prepared from a mixture of castor oil and the juice of any citrus fruit: 1 milliliter of oil per kilogram of weight and 2 milliliters of juice per kilogram of weight. The maximum dose of castor oil per day is 100 milliliters, regardless of weight.
Overdose causes diarrhea, nausea and abdominal pain. It is important to remember that external castor oil should not be ingested.
Castor oil has contraindications for external and internal use:
- allergy;
- poisoning with fat-soluble substances, benzene, alcohol;
- diseases of the stomach and intestinal tract;
- pregnancy;
- lactation.
It is better to start castor oil treatment with small doses to check the body's reaction.
Top dangerous properties
Castor seed kernels are 17 percent protein. One of them, ricin, is a poisonous toxalbumin with a pronounced toxic effect.
Protein is also present in the fatty oil extracted from the seeds. The second name for castor oil is ricin. But after processing it loses its toxic properties. Also, the kernel of castor bean seeds contains up to 1 percent of the alkaloid ricinin.
Unlike fatty oil, castor bean leaves and stems are abundantly filled with toxic substances. Eating parts and seeds of the plant is dangerous to human and animal life.
The average lethal dose of ricin and ricinin is 500 micrograms. The substances are as lethal to humans as potassium cyanide and cobra venom. Symptoms of castor bean poisoning:
- vomit;
- colic and bleeding in the intestines;
- imbalance of electrolytes due to dehydration.
Just 10 castor bean seeds cause irreparable harm to the body. There is no antidote for ricin or ricinin. Death occurs seven days after poisoning. Even with timely medical care, castor bean toxins quickly penetrate the body's tissues and destroy proteins in cells, so the person will experience health problems for the rest of his life.
Application
In castor beans, the main source of raw materials for various industries is seeds. Castor oil is used in medicine, cosmetology and industry. To add it to preparations, it is obtained by cold pressing and treated with hot steam. This technology neutralizes the toxic effects of ricin and ricinin. Protein and alkaloid are destroyed by high temperature and hydrolysis.
Castor oil dissolves only in alcohol and thickens when exposed to oxygen. At temperatures below 15 degrees below zero, it does not harden, but hardens to the consistency of jelly.
In medicine
Oil from castor bean seeds is used in the production of ointments. It is part of Vishnevsky's liniment, which is prescribed for healing wounds and burns. Pure castor oil is a stretchy yellowish liquid with a specific but not repulsive odor. It is taken orally to treat constipation.
Castor oil is used in gynecology: to stimulate uterine contractions when labor is delayed and to treat inflammation using compresses. It also has a diuretic and anthelmintic effect.Residues of ricin paralyze parasites, which, combined with a laxative effect, helps cleanse the intestines.
In cosmetology
Castor oil is used externally to improve the condition of skin, nails and hair. This is one of the main ingredients in homemade masks and creams. In folk cosmetology, medicinal oil is used, which is sold in pharmacies. A special hydrogenated product is intended for the professional beauty industry.
Castor oil is included in skin cosmetics for various purposes:
- moisturizing;
- softening, exfoliating;
- brightening;
- nutritious;
- anti-aging;
- rejuvenating;
- against acne and inflammation.
A product made from castor bean seeds is added to ready-made creams, lotions and other products for the skin of the face, hands and body to enhance their effect. Castor oil softens the effect of nail polish removers. The condition of your nails improves if you wipe them with castor oil. The oil also has a healing effect on hair:
- restores damage;
- reduces the appearance of dandruff;
- stops hair loss;
- accelerates growth;
- returns shine;
- prevents split ends.
Castor oil is found in shampoos and conditioners that eliminate dryness and irritation of the scalp. It is also added to products for anti-cellulite massage and body wraps that promote weight loss.
In industry
Castor bean seed oil contains ricinoic acid with hydroxy group molecules. Thanks to this substance, it does not freeze or dry out. Therefore, castor oil is used in industrial sectors:
- aviation;
- automobile;
- tanning;
- paint and varnish;
- soap making
Castor bean seed oil is included in drying oils, paints and varnishes, dielectric and brake fluid, polyamide threads and lubricants. Castor oil is not affected by temperature changes and petroleum products, and does not destroy plastic, so it can often be found in the list of components of machine oils.
Care instructions
Castor beans are grown only from seeds. You have to wait a long time for sprouts due to the hard shell. Therefore, the seeds must be prepared for germination - lightly rubbed with sandpaper and kept in warm water for a day. Then they are planted in plastic or clay pots to a depth of 2 centimeters. The seedlings are covered with plastic wrap and placed in a warm, sunny place.
Sprouts appear after three weeks. After a month they can be planted in the garden. A favorable time for planting seedlings or seeds in open ground is May.
The selected area is fertilized with humus and compost. An interval of about a meter is left between the holes for seeds or seedlings. Place 2-3 seeds in one hole. A well-lit and protected from the wind corner is suitable for castor beans.
The tropical plant does not like shade and cold. Young shoots do not survive spring frosts, so it is better to plant castor beans in late spring or early summer. How to care for the plant:
- pour 10 liters of water under each bush every week;
- when buds appear, apply fertilizers with potassium and phosphorus;
- tie young bushes to pegs;
- in the first months, carefully remove weeds; the grown castor oil plant itself will displace unwanted neighbors;
- loosen the soil regularly, as the roots need oxygen.
Castor beans rarely get sick with proper care. Sometimes wireworms, caterpillars or cotton bollworms appear in the bushes.Any insecticides or spraying with wormwood infusion will help control pests.
With high humidity and lack of light, a fungus appears on castor beans - powdery mildew, brown spot or late blight. In this case, the plant is treated with Bordeaux solution or fungicides.
