skip navigation, jump to main contentDorothy Bradley Atkins Medicinal Plant Garden, College of Pharmacy, UIC

Castor bean (Ricinus communis L.)

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Medicinal uses: Castor oil is a laxative and skin softener and, industrially, a lubricant. Caution: Seeds are highly toxic if ingested.

Part used medicinally: Seeds

Native origin: S. Asia

Ricinus communis L.

Photo: D. Doel Soejarto, PhD, University of Illinois at Chicago