1. Castor Oil & Ispaghula

2. Objectives On completion of this lesson, you would be able to know:
The monographs of Castor oil
And
Ispaghula

3. Known to Unknown What is the Telugu name of Castor oil
Do it fit for Laxative or Purgative
Can you name one seed which resembles boat shape?
What is the principal content of it

4. Castor Oil Synonym : Oleum Ricini Family : Euphorbiaceae
Biological Source :
Fixed oil obtained by the cold
expression of the seeds of
Ricinus communis
Family : Euphorbiaceae
Fig.16.1

5. Castor Oil Geographical Source: India Brazil USA USSR Rumania In India
Andhra Pradesh Gujarat
Karnataka
Fig.16.2

6. Castor Oil Organoleptic characters:
Colour : Pale yellow or colourless liquid
Odour : Nauseating
Taste : First it is bland,
afterwards slightly acrid
and nauseating.
Solubility : Soluble in alcohol
Fig.16.3

7. Castor Oil Standards : Weight per ml : 0.945 to 0.965
Acid value : not more than 2
Acetyl value : not less than 143
Iodine value : 82 to 90
Sap value : to 185
Optical rotation : not less than +3.5º

8. Castor Oil Chemical Constituents : Contains Triglycerides of
80% Ricinoleic acid
Isoricinoleic acid
Linoleic acid
Stearic acid and
Isostearic acid

9. Castor Oil Identification :
It mixes with half its volume of light petroleum ether ( º) and partly soluble in its two volumes.
Oil + equal volume of Alcohol clear
liquid on cooling at 0ºc and storage
for three hours liquid remains clear.

10. Castor Oil Uses : Mild Purgative Lubricating agent
Ricinoliec acid is used as contraceptive in creams and
jellies.
Hydrogenated oil is used as ointment base.

11. Ispaghula Synonyms : Isaphol, Isabgol
Biological Source : Dried seeds of
Plantago ovata
Family : Plantaginaceae
Fig.16.4

12. Isapaghula Geographical Source : native of INDIA In INDIA Gujarat
South Rajasthan
Punjab
Maharashtra

13. Ispaghula Organoleptic characters: Colour : Pinkish-grey or brown
Odour : none
Taste : mucilaginous,bland
Size : 10 to 35 mm in length
1 to 1.75 mm in width
Shape : ovate cymbiform
Fig.16.5

14. Ispaghula Chemical Constituents : Mucilage Pentosan & Aldobionic acid
Fixed oils
Proteins
Xylose, Arabinose, Galacturonic acid and Rhamnose are
the products of hydrolysis of Pentosan

15. Ispaghula Chemical tests :
With Ruthenium red mucilage will give Pink colour.
To dry seeds add a drop of Thionine test solution, wait for 10 minutes, wash with alcohol, mucilage turns Violet-red.

16. Ispaghula
3. To dry seeds add one drop of Chinese-ink , mucilage shows transparent , spherically dilated fragments on black back ground .
4. Swelling factor test :
1g seeds + 20ml of water in 25ml measuring cylinder Swelling factor is 10 to 13

17. Ispaghula Uses : Laxative Demulscent Emollient
In the treatment of Chronic Constipation, Amoebic and
Bacillary Dysentery.

18. Ispaghula Uses : Poultice for Rheumatic pains
Mucilage of the seed is used in the preparation of
tablets and also as stabilizer the preparation of ice
creams.

19. Summary In this class we learnt about : Castor oil is obtained by the
Cold expression of the seeds of
Ricinus communis is belongs to the Family Euphorbiaceae
Contains Triglycerides of Fatty acids
Used as purgative.

20. Summary In this class we learnt about :
Ispaghula consists of dried seeds of Plantago ovata belongs to the family Plantaginaceae contains Mucilage, Pentosan and Aldobionic acid & is used as Laxative.

21. Quiz 1. Castor oil belongs to the family a. Euphorbiaceae
b. Leguminosae
c. Solanaceae
d. Umbelliferae

22. Quiz 2. Castor oil is used as a. Purgative b. Carminative
c. Anti-diabetic
d. Anti-viral

23. Quiz 3. Castor contains a. Alkaloids b. Glycosides c. Volatile oils
d. Fixed oils

24. Quiz 4. Ispaghula belongs to the family a. Euphorbiaceae
b. Plantaginaceae
c. Solanaceae
d. Umbelliferae

25. Quiz 5. Ispaghula is used as a. Laxative b. Carminative
c. Anti-diabetic
d. Anti-viral

26. Quiz 6. Ispaghula contains a. Mucilage b. Glycosides c. Volatile oils
d. Fixed oil

27. Frequently asked Questions
Give two examples for Laxatives.
(Mar/Apr’2005)