Question

Castor oil is yielded from which of the following
A) Brassica campestris
B) Sesamum indicum
C) Ricinus communis
D) Cocos nucifera

Answer 1

Hint: Castor oil is a vegetable oil made from the seeds of the castor bean. It's a clear, colourless to pale yellow liquid with a distinct flavour and odour. It has a boiling point of 313 degrees Celsius (595 degrees Fahrenheit) and a density of 0.961 grammes per cubic metre. It's made up of a mix of triglycerides, with ricinoleate accounting for around 90% of the fatty acids. The other important components are oleate and linoleates.

Complete answer:
The term Vitex agnus-castus is likely derived from a mix-up between the Ricinus plant that produces it and another plant, Vitex agnus-castus. However, another derivation claims that it was used as a substitute for castoreum.

The castor oil plant (Ricinus communis) is a flowering plant in the Euphorbiaceae spurge family. It is a member of the Ricinus genus and Ricininae subtribe. Modern genomic methods are currently being used to study the evolution of castor and its relationships with other species. Castor seed yields castor oil, which has a wide range of applications.

Between 40% and 60% of the oil in the seeds is high in triglycerides, primarily ricinolein. Ricine, a water-soluble toxin found in lower concentrations throughout the plant, is also present in the seed. Ricinus communis is the source of castor oil, not Cocos nucifera (coconut), Sesamum indicum (sesame), or Brassica campestris (mustard).

Hence the correct answer is option ‘C’.

Note: Soaps, lubricants, hydraulic and brake fluids, paints, dyes, coatings, inks, cold-resistant polymers, waxes and polishes, nylon, medicines, and perfumes are all made with castor oil and its derivatives.