Eli5 Why is castor oil made from ricinus not toxic, and can prolonged use cause toxicity?
In: Biology
The poisonous substances (Ricin mostly) aren’t in the oil but rather the solid parts of the plant. So when pressing the oil out they stay in the remaining plant matter (wich therefore can’t be fed to animals like you’d usually do with such remains)
Ricin doesn’t dissolve in oil (but in water)
I know only eating a few beans is extremely dangerous, it was even used as a form of torture. It will make you blast fluids from both holes. I know, from experience. I ate a couple when visiting Mexico until my friend told me their were poisonous. They tasted good though.
They also grow very fast, during that one year trip, I grew one from seed over three meters tall.
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