What is Castor Oil?
Castor oil is a vegetable oil pressed from the seeds of Ricinus communis, native to India [1]. It is easy to see and remains dark even at high temperatures. Castor oil is a mixture of hydroxylated fatty acids, with ricinoleic acid constituting 89-92% [2]. It is a triglyceride of fatty acids. Oxygen atoms in the oil exhibit hydrophilic and lipophilic properties [3], so castor oil can penetrate our skin better than most other vegetable oils [3].
What Does Castor Oil Do?
Castor oil’s unusual properties give it a diverse array of applications across numerous sectors. It’s employed in cosmetics as a skin softener and can be found in manufacturing plastics, fibres, lacquers and paint [1]. It’s also frequently used in tablets as a binding agent that delivers the medicine better. It’s even been employed in the cigar business, but that’s a story for another time [4].
Castor oil has been employed medicinally for commercial purposes, treating various ailments, including gastrointestinal conditions, infections, skin conditions, and inflammation, and stimulating the immune system [1]. It has been used for eye complaints, and in one study, daily application to the eyelid for four weeks helped to relieve symptoms such as eyelash matting [4].
In addition, castor oil is helpful for the practical management of the mosquito vector in its immature and adult stages, with larvicidal activities at 10, 25, 50, 75, and 100 ppm [5]. While others showed that it has the properties of an antioxidant and antibacterial compound, it can be advantageous as a functional material in the food and cosmetic industries [6].
Benefits of Castor Oil
Castor oil is obtained from the seeds of the Ricinus communis plant. It contains 90% ricinoleic acid, a monounsaturated fat [7, 8, 2]. Castor oil is known to have medicinal value when used in traditional medicine and to improve health.
Improved skin health is one of the critical benefits of castor oil use; antioxidants found in castor oil fight the free radicals that speed up ageing and wrinkles [9]. Castor oil can also help clear acne, as its antibacterial action kills acne-making bacteria, which can trap dirt in the pores [9].
Castor oil is also anti-inflammatory, reducing the swelling and puffiness that can make an inflamed pimple or eye bag bigger than it needs to be [9]. It’s no surprise that it’s a popular ingredient in several beauty products for its hydrating effect since it can add moisture without clogging pores or irritating the skin [10].
Alongside its skin benefits, castor oil is known to help promote hair growth and create thicker eyelashes [11]. It is also often added to lipstick and lip glosses due to its ability to add sheen and colour. It can also be employed as a home remedy for chapped lips [9].
Castor oil has also been shown to benefit the eye, likely because it assists in managing ocular surface disease. The topical application promotes increased tear film lipid layer thickness and stability and improves ocular surface staining and symptoms [12].
Finally, its other traditional uses are as a natural laxative or to induce labour in pregnant women [13]. However, although castor oil has the potential to provide many benefits, it should be utilized under the care of a health professional to prevent undesirable side effects.
What is Herpes?
Herpes is an infection with the herpes simplex virus (HSV). This virus can affect the mouth and face, the genitals, the buttocks, and the anus. It also can affect the eyes, the skin, or other body parts. The infection can be dangerous in newborns or people who are immunocompromised. There are two types of HSV: HSV type 1 and HSV type 2. Both can cause breakouts of sores that can turn into blisters. The blisters can become itchy and painful, and the sore can heal. These breakouts can happen many times a year, but over time, they can happen less often [14].
Causes of Herpes
Herpes is caused by two closely related but separate viruses, herpes simplex 1 (HSV-1) and herpes simplex 2 (HSV-2). HSV-1 causes most instances of cold sores around the mouth and face (what’s often called oral herpes) and is usually spread via kissing, lip balm and eating utensils – though it’s also responsible for many cases of genital herpes. The reverse is true for HSV-2, sometimes described as genital herpes, which more often spreads to the genitals, causing blistering sores, and is frequently acquired through sexual contact. It also infects the mouth. HSV-1 and HSV-2 are both transmitted directly from person to person, and HSV-1 and HSV-2 viruses make their way through saliva, semen and vaginal secretions [15, 16, 17].
Can Castor Oil Help With Herpes?
There may not be any information to answer whether castor oil can alleviate herpes. The articles provided don't indicate whether castor oil helps with herpes. However, castor oil contains certain properties that may benefit the elimination of herpes.
The oil is derived from the seeds of the castor plant. It is a fatty emollient that can make your skin moist and thereby soothing [18]. In turn, this might help alleviate the pain of herpes sores.
Castor oil also has anti-inflammatory properties. This may help soothe skin irritation [18], which, in turn, may reduce inflammation and discomfort around the herpes lesions.
Second, castor oil likely has antimicrobial and antibacterial properties that would act to stop infection [18]. This might very well be effective in avoiding the secondary infection of the skin that erodes from herpes sores.
However, these properties, which may or may not help with herpes symptoms, are quite different from any scientific data demonstrating that castor oil can prevent or treat herpes. Anyone considering using castor oil for managing herpes symptoms should consult with a primary healthcare provider who can provide appropriate treatment.