Ricin derives from Ricinus communis L. (Euphorbiaceae family), also known as castor bean or palma Christi. The genus Ricinus has only one known species: the castor oil plant. The plant possibly originates from Africa and Asia and now is widespread throughout temperate, subtropical, and tropical areas, growing as an invasive plant or being cultivated for different purposes.
The castor plant has been known since time immemorial and its use in the prehistoric era has been evidenced by archaeological findings such as that of the Border Cave in South Africa. Traces of wax containing ricinoleic and ricinelaidic acids were found on a thin wooden stick, which was suggested to be a poison applicator, dating back to about 24,000 years ago. The castor seeds and other parts of the castor plant were certainly utilized in ancient Egypt for pharmacological purposes. In the Ebers Papyrus, an Egyptian medical treatise dating back to before 1500 BCE, an entire chapter is dedicated to the castor bean that is indicated as an abortifacient, a laxative, a remedy for abscessual illness, baldness, and so on
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