CASTOR RICINUS COMMUNIS

CASTOR (Ricinus communis L.) +

Activities (Castor) :
- Analgesic (1; APA; CRC); Antiabsorptive (f; PH2); Antibacterial (1; CRC; HH2; TRA); Anticholestatic (1; HH2); Antidiabetic (1; HH2); Antidote (f; CRC); Anti-HIV (f; APA); Antilactagogue (f; DEP); Antileukemic (1; APA); Antiseptic (1; HH2; PH2; TRA); Antitumor (1; TRA); Antitussive (f; DAA); Antiviral (1; AAB; PHR); Aperient (f; CRC); Candidicide (1; HH2); Contraceptive (1; HH2; PH2); Cyanogenic (f; CRC); Diaphoretic (f; JFM); Discutient (f; CRC; DAA); Diuretic (f; TRA); Emetic (1; CRC; FAD); Emmenagogue (f; KAB; KAP); Emollient (1; AAB; APA; PNC); Expectorant (f; CRC; DAA); Fungicide (1; HH2); Hepatoprotective (1; HH2); Hypotensive (1; HH2); Immunostimulant (f; HH2); Insecticide (1; CRC); Lactagogue (2; AAB; BIB; CRC; FAD); Larvicide (f; CRC); Laxative (2; APA; CRC; FAD; PH2;
SUW; VVG); Lymphocytogenic (f; HH2); Parturient (f; FAD); Peristaltic (1; VVG); Piscicide (f; SUW); Poison (1; CRC); Pyrogenic (1; HH2); Secretagogue (1; PH2); Secretomotor (1; TRA); Spermicide (f; TRA); Tonic (f; CRC; JFM).

Indications (Castor) :
- Abscess (f; APA; CRC; PHR; PH2); Adenopathy (f; DAA; JLH); Amenorrhea (f; DEP; KAP); Anasarca (f; BIB; CRC); Arthrosis (f; CRC; HH2; JFM; PH2); Asthma (f; CRC; TRA); Bacteria (1; CRC; HH2; TRA); Bite (f; CRC); Bleeding (f; DAA; HH2); Boil (f; JFM; PHR; SUW; VVG); Burn (f; CRC); Cancer (1; DAD; HH2; TRA); Cancer, breast (f; JLH); Cancer, colon (f; JLH); Cancer, stomach (f; JLH); Candida (1; HH2); Carbuncle (f; CRC; PH2); Caries (f; WOI); Catarrh (f; BIB; CRC); Chancre (f; BIB; CRC); Childbirth (f;
AAB; CRC; DAA; JFM); Cholera (f; CRC); Cold (f; CRC; JFM); Colic (f; CRC; JFM); Congestion (f; AAB); Constipation (2; APA; CRC; FAD; PH2); Convulsion (f; CRC); Corn (f; CRC); Cramp (f; JFM); Craw-Craw (f; CRC); Cyst (f; APA); Dandruff (f; FAD); Deafness (f; CRC; DAA); Delirium (f; BIB; CRC); Dermatosis (f; CRC; FAD; JFM; PH2); Diabetes (1; HH2); Diarrhea (f; BIB); Dropsy (f; CRC); Dyslactea (f; BIB); Dyspepsia (f; PH2); Dystonia (1; DAD); Edema (f; JFM); Elephantiasis (f; BIB); Enterosis (f; CRC; HH2; JFM; PH2); Epilepsy (f; BIB; CRC; UPW); Erysipelas (f; BIB; CRC; JFM); Escherichia (1; HH2); Fever (f; AAB; CRC; DAV; HH2; JFM); Flu (f; CRC); Fungus (1; HH2); Furuncle (f; PH2); Gas (f; DEP); Gingivosis (f; JFM); Gonorrhea (f; HH2); Gout (f; CRC; DAA); Guinea Worm (f; CRC); Headache (f; CRC; JFM; PH2; SUW); Heatstroke (f; KAB); Hemorrhoid (f; FAD; JFM); High Blood Pressure (1; HH2); HIV (1; APA; DAD); Immunodepression (f; HH2); Induration (f; CRC); Infection (1; HH2; TRA); Inflammation (f; CRC; PH2); Ischiosis (f; HH2); Itch (f; AAB; FAD); Leprosy (f; BIB; IED); Leukemia (1; APA); Lichen (f; MAD); Lumbago (f; HH2; KAP); Measles (f; AAB); Migraine (f; PHR); Mole (f; CRC); Myalgia (f; CRC; DAV); Mycosis (1; HH2); Neurosis (f; BIB; CRC); Ophthalmia (f; PNC); Osteomyelosis (f; BIB; CRC); Otosis (f;
HH2; PHR; PH2); Pain (1; APA; CRC; JFM; PH2); Palsy (f; CRC; DAA); Paralysis (f; PH2); Pleurodynia (f; DEP); Pneumonia (f; SKJ); Proctosis (f; DAA); Prolapse (f; CRC; DAA); Prostatosis (f; JFM); Rash (f; BIB; CRC); Rheumatism (f; BIB; CRC; JFM; KAP); Ringworm (f; BIB; FAD); Salmonella (1; TRA); Scald (f; CRC); Sciatica (f; DEP); Scrofula (f; CRC); Seborrhea (f; BIB; CRC); Schistosomiasis (f; UPW); Sciatica (f; KAP); Shigella (1; TRA); Sinusosis (f; AAB); Sore (f; APA; FAD; VVG); Sore Throat (f; PH2); Staphylococcus (1; HH2; TRA); Sting (f; CRC; SUW); Stomachache (f; CRC; IED; VVG); Strabismus (f; CRC; DAA); Swelling (f; BIB; CRC; DAA; JFM; KAP); Tapeworm (1; JFM); Toothache (f; CRC; DAA; JFM;
KAP); Tuberculosis (f; BIB; CRC); Tumor (1; CRC; JFM; TRA); Typhus (f; MAD); Ulcer (f; BIB); Urethrosis (f; CRC; DAA); Uterosis (f; CRC; DAA); Vaginosis (f; AAB); VD (f; CRC; DAA; JFM); Virus (1; AAB; PHR); Wart (f; APA; CRC); Water Retention (f; TRA); Whitlow (f; CRC); Worm (1; CRC; PH2; TRA); Wound (f; CRC; DAA; VVG); Yeast (1; HH2).

Dosages (Castor) :
- 5 - 20 ml oil (PNC); 15 - 60 ml oil (APA); 5 - 28 ml castor oil (KAP); 9 - 15 g leaf paste (KAP); 3 - 6 g root paste (KAP); 5 (2 g) or 10 (1 g) capsules (PHR).

Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Castor) :
- Class 2b, 2d. Contraindicated in intestinal obstruction and abdominal pain of unknown origin, appendicitis, inflammatory bowel disease; do not use more than 8 - 10 days (AHP; PHR). Hazards and/or side effects not known for proper therapeutic dosages of the oil (PH2). Overdoses can cause colic, drastic diarrhea, gastralgia and gastrosis, queasiness, and vomiting (PHR). The seeds contain 2.8 - 3%
toxic substances, requiring 2.5 - 20 seed to kill a man (chewing a single seed may be fatal to a child), 4 to kill a rabbit, 5 a sheep, 6 an ox, 6 a horse, 7 a pig, 11 a dog, but 80 for a cock or duck. The principal toxin is the albumin, ricin (DAD). Though some recommend in pregnancy, others do not. Midwives sometimes use the oil to induce labor (AHP). Refined oil contraindications: intestinal obstruction, unexplained stomachache; adverse effects: frequent use produces electrolyte losses (interaction with cardiac glycosides), also gastric irritation, and allergic skin reactions. Should not be used for prolonged periods (AEH). Not for children under 12 years old (PHR). May induce dermatosis as well as cure it (FAD).

Extracts (Castor) :
- Ricin, the deadly poison, can be attached to monoclonal antibodies that attack only cancer cells, a technique reportedly tried in 1000 patients with cancer (DAD). The AIDS virus can infect an immune cell by locking onto its cell receptor protein CD4. By genetically attaching the ricin to genetically engineered CD4 proteins, one obtains CD4-ricin, which will lock onto the external viruses of infected cells, 1000 times more often than onto healthy cells, possibly killing enough infected cells to prevent the spread of the disease symptoms. Like the botulism toxin, ricin can be used to kill overstimulated nerve endings in patients with dystonias (DAD). Ricinoleic acid has served in contraceptive jellies (DAD).