Taken internally, Castor Oil is also used as a treatment for intestinal inflammation and worms. In Asian medicine, Castor Oil is used as a remedy for joint pain, dry stool, indigestion, facial paralysis, boils, and ulcers.
Homeopathic practitioners prescribe it for digestive ailments.
It's mentioned by the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, and beans from the Castor plant have been found in Egyptian tombs. The plant can be found from temperate latitudes to the tropics. Castor Oil's laxative effect stems from its ability to prevent absorption of liquids from the intestinal tract. They can cause severe fluid loss and lethal circulatory collapse. Don't take Castor Oil if you have nausea, vomiting, an intestinal blockage, appendicitis, severe inflammatory intestinal disease, or any abdominal pain of unknown origin.