Croton oil is a mixture found in species of Croton that exhibits pro-inflammatory and antibiotic activities. Croton oil is potentially carcinogenic, as it contains phorbol esters and is co-administered with DMBA in research models to induce the development of skin tumors. Croton oil is also used in research models to induce inflammation and edema. In vitro and in vivo, croton oil shows antibacterial and antifungal efficacy against Candida, Lactobacillus, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, and Porphyromonas. This compound also shows potential benefits as a mosquito repellent.

Croton oil (Crotonis oleum) is an oil prepared from the seeds of Croton tiglium, a tree belonging to the order Euphorbiales and family Euphorbiaceae, and native or cultivated in India and the Malay Archipelago. Small doses are taken internally cause diarrhea. Externally, the oil can cause irritation and swelling. Croton oil is used in Phenol-croton oil chemical peels for the caustic exfoliating effects it has on the skin. Used in conjunction with phenol solutions, it results in an intense reaction which leads to initial skin sloughing. Since croton oil is very irritating and painful, it is used in laboratory animals to study how pain works, pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory drugs, and immunology.^[rx]

The oil of Croton is extracted from the Croton tiglium seeds, which belong to the family Euphorbiaceae and order Euphorbiales. It is native to the Malay Archipelago and India. It is used by ancient Chinese for the treatment of skin problems. The plant is also known as rushfoil and croton. The oil is derived with the use of the solvent extraction method. The oil is a pale yellow to brown in color which possesses disagreeable odor and acrid persistent taste. Being highly purgative in nature, it could result in diarrhea and skin lesions. It was introduced by the people of Dutchland in the 16^th century to the Western sides of the world. This oil became out of fashion due to its toxic effects and it was discontinued to use by the people. The oil was originated in India and was used to treat constipation.

Croton oil facts

Croton oil possesses an exfoliating effect that helps to regenerate skin. It helps to treat internal intestinal parasites. Additionally, it is used to cure constipation.

Health benefits of Croton oil

The health benefits provided by Croton oil are:

Exfoliate skin

Croton oil is used in the production of chemical peels that are used for skin exfoliation. If applied to the skin, it swamps off a thin layer of the epidermis which lead to a burning sensation and deep pain on the skin. Though Croton oil leads to sharp pain, redness, and burning, the chemical skin peels based on Croton oil have the strongest side effects as well as risks.

Treat constipation

Croton oil is used in ancient Chinese medicine to provide relief from constipation. It should not be used without the supervision of a trained health practitioner.

Eliminate parasites

It provides relief from intestinal parasites such as Schistosomiasis.

Nervous relaxation

The regular massage of diluted croton oil all over your body can help to keep your nerves relaxed for a smoother and steady blood flow. You can make this natural cure by diluting it with carrier oil in ratio 1:20. This means twenty drops of carrier oil for a drop of croton oil.

Treat cancer

Croton oil provides a cytocidal effect on cancer cells. It is also useful for skin eruption and eczema as well as urticarial.

Constipation

Purified (SHODHIT) Croton Kernels: The purified (SHODHIT) croton (Jamalgota) kernels are used in Ayurveda for constipation. The following mixture is beneficial and recommended in ayurvedic ancient texts to reduce the side effects of croton kernels.

Ayurvedic physicians rarely use croton kernels alone. They have several ayurvedic formulations containing croton kernel (Jamalgota) powder.

Purified Jamalgota formulations are more beneficial for people with obstinate and persistent constipation if they have the following symptoms or conditions.

• They have not passed the stool for 3 days, but there is no bowel obstruction.
• Indigestion or loss of appetite
• AMA (Toxins developed due to undigested food)
• Feeling heaviness in the abdomen, but no tenderness and abdominal pain

Hemorrhoids

In hemorrhoids, croton roots are used externally in form of paste. The paste is made using the fine powder of croton roots and buttermilk. This paste is applied on external hemorrhoids. The external hemorrhoids shrink and become dry. The swelling is reduced and the patient feels relief from all symptoms of hemorrhoids. This application is effective only for non-bleeding piles.

Contraindicating Symptoms & Conditions

The paste application of croton root should not be applied if the patient has the following symptoms.

• Burning sensation
• Fissure or Cuts
• Bleeding piles
• Fistula

Skin Tags (Acrochordon)

The paste of croton (Jamalgota) roots prepared with warm water is applied on the skin tags for several days. Skin tags naturally fall off after several regular applications.

Abscess

The paste is prepared using water and the external bark of croton roots. This paste is applied to the abscess. This paste helps bursting abscesses. Some folks add turmeric (Curcuma Longa) powder in the paste for antiseptic purposes.

Jaundice

The external bark of croton roots is mixed with jaggery (Gur) and advised taken orally for increasing the bile secretion from the gall bladder and liver. This helps treat jaundice and reduces white stools.

Skin Exfoliator

This acts as a skin exfoliator. This oil is usually used in the chemical peels which are prepared for your skin exfoliation. Phenol, croton chemical peel, is the most commonly used peel. When this is applied to your skin, it scales off the thin layer of the outermost skin layer which is the epidermis. This may have a deep burning sensation and pain on your skin.

The visible redness of this will take two weeks to heal. The most important part comes when the skin heals itself, and the elastin and collagen fibers fill up space. This will help you flatten the wrinkles, depression scars, raised scars, and fine lines which are formed on your skin.

But these peels are not at all helpful on your skin conditions like stretch marks because it doesn’t exhibit any effect on the dermis part of your skin. With its useful exfoliating effect it also has many strong side effects and risks which may lead to redness, burning, and sharp pain on your skin.

Be careful and know about your skin from any professional before you start using it. I advise you not to use this before prior knowledge. In some sensitive cases, this oil may scrape off your skin up to the dermis which may lead to complications. These peels have very strong effects on anti-aging. As these oils have tumor-promoting tendencies, they should not be used for long periods of time.

Counter-Irritant

Croton oil many times causes irritation on your skin when applied, but this can also be used as a counter-irritant.

The oil can be used in low concentration on the skin to divert the mind to some other place on the skin which is suffering from inflammation and severe irritation.

This can only be used as a counter only if the patient has had some side effects and troubles because of croton oil.

Muscle Pain

One of the ingredients in this oil is wintergreen oil, and the other ingredient is croton tiglium. Wintergreen contains methyl salicylate, whereas the croton tiglium contains croton oleoresin.

Both of these ingredients are very effective at relieving minor aches and pains.

These two ingredients combine to make a pain-relieving cream that has been used for several years to treat pain from arthritis, headaches, muscle strains, and more. It is helpful in reducing the swelling associated with bruises as well.

The combination of wintergreen and croton tiglium is also a very popular and effective pain-relieving cream for arthritis, tendonitis, backaches, sprains and swellings. It is non-greasy and absorbed into the skin quickly.

Skin rejuvenation

You can mix two drops of croton oil in base oil by your choice. You should take a cotton ball and soak it in this blend and then gently wipe skin for sloughing dead skin and regeneration of healthier skin.

Traditional uses

• It is a cure for constipation.
• It helps to treat internal intestinal parasites.
• It is a treatment for rheumatism, bronchitis, and glandular swelling.
• It helps to treat fine lines, wrinkles, and scars.
• It helps to treat health ailments such as apoplexy, dropsy, obstinate constipation, convulsions, lead poisoning, intestinal obstruction, high blood pressure, and intense fever.
• It is a cure for chronic rheumatism, skin wounds, glandular swellings, neuralgia, laryngitis, asthma, chronic bronchitis, and pulmonary problems.
• It helps to treat schistosomiasis and intestinal parasites.
• It is a treatment for paralysis, cancerous cells, teething troubles, sore throat, snakebite, teeth problems.

Properties

Croton oil along with its uses has some powerful and unique therapeutic effects. Here are the harmful and useful properties of this oil.

1. Irritant

It acts as an irritant on your skin if you apply it.

2. Exfoliant

It scales off the outer layer of your skin.

3. Inflammatory

It causes inflammation when applied to your skin and has a sharply negative reaction.

4. Pain Inducer

When applied to your skin it can cause sharp pain and acts exactly the opposite of analgesia.

5. Cytocidal

Croton is known for its cytocidal properties as they kill the individual cells which help in cancer treatment.

6. Cathartic

It can lead to diarrhea if it is taken internally. It is used as a cathartic to cleanse the intestines but to use this you need expert knowledge. You need to know the right concentration that has to be used.

7. Tumor

The compound called phorbol esters present in this oil has anti-tumor-promoting effects.

8. Anti-Helminthic

Used to kill intestinal parasites present in your body. Now we can proceed with the health benefits it has for you.

DOSAGE

* Once a day ** Once a day, but we don’t recommend its use.

Purified Jamalgota (croton kernels) Dosage

* Once a day

Jamalgota (Croton Tiglium) Toxicity Treatment

Jamalgota (Croton Tiglium) can cause severe diarrhea and abdominal cramps along with a burning sensation in the whole abdomen. Vacha (Calamus) root ash is a good antidote to reduce its toxicity and symptoms occurring due to it. Vacha root ash powder should be taken in dosage of 500 to 1000 mg two to three times a day or as required to reduce the symptoms. The Tankan Bhasma (250 mg) and Praval Pishti (1000 mg) should also be taken twice daily. If the burning sensation is excess, then Praval Pishti can be repeated 3 to 6 times a day in higher dosage (1 g).

SIDE EFFECTS

Unpurified or Unprocessed Jamalgota (Croton Seeds)

Unpurified or unprocessed Jamalgota (croton seeds) is LIKELY UNSAFE and causes severe irritation and inflammation in the alimentary canal. It results in the following side effects.

• Diarrhea
• Severe cramps
• Severe abdominal tenderness
• Burning in the abdomen
• Ulceration in mouth
• Acid dyspepsia
• Vomiting
• Stupor
• Dizziness

External application of croton seeds (Jamal gota) can lead to the following adverse effects.

• Blistering
• Itching
• Burning sensation

Purified Jamalgota or Processed Croton Kernels

The unsupervised use can cause some side effects listed above, but the intensity of its effects are less than unpurified Jamalgota.

Croton Oil

Croton oil is LIKELY UNSAFE. 20 drops of croton oil can lead to death. Even a single drop can cause the following side effects.

• Mouth ulcer or Blistering in the mouth
• Burning in mouth
• Vertigo
• Dizziness
• Vomiting
• Stupor
• Severe cramps

Croton Oil

Some folk physicians use 1 drop of croton oil mixing it with 1 tsp. honey or butter. Croton (Jamalgota) oil has a very strong laxative and irritant action. Many people experience severe abdominal cramps, burning sensations in the mouth, dizziness, vomiting, and stupor. Therefore, we never believe it is UNSAFE for most people and we never recommend using croton oil internally for treating constipation. The purified (SHODHIT) croton kernels are a safer option if the patient urgently requires constipation management.

Croton Roots

Jamalgota or croton roots have mild laxative action, but roots may also cause mild burning in the abdomen like Jamalgota seeds.  However, croton roots are rarely used for laxative action, but roots increase the secretion of bile salts from the gall bladder and liver, which helps in removing constipation and treating jaundice. The oral use of unpurified seeds (croton kernels) and croton oil is likely unsafe. All these can cause severe inflammation in the intestines and lead to intense abdominal pain and cramps. Purified kernels may be useful for people with severe or chronic constipation, but the regular or frequent use of Jamalgota (purified kernels) is also unsafe. Its regular use may cause intestinal sluggishness and reduce natural peristalsis.

Croton Roots

The oral intake of croton roots may be POSSIBLY UNSAFE if taken unsupervised, but it may be well tolerable by most of the people within dosage less than 500 mg a day. The roots can cause a burning sensation.

External Bark of Croton Roots

The External Bark of Croton Roots is WELL TOLERABLE in a dosage less than 1000 mg a day. However, the higher dosage (even about 10 grams) is recommended in ancient texts for jaundice, but many ayurvedic physicians consider 1000 mg the safest and effective dosage for external bark of croton roots.

How to treat diarrhea due to Jamalgota (Croton Tiglium)

Diarrhea due to Jamal gota subsides itself. Sipping warm water is very helpful for reducing cramps and loose stools due to Jamal got indigestion. There is no treatment required in mild to moderate cases.

If severe diarrhea with severe abdominal cramps occurs due to Jamalgota, then antispasmodic and Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT) may also require. Antidiarrheal drugs are ineffective in such cases. In severe cases, Intravenous Fluid Resuscitation is also required.

All parts of the Croton Tiglium plant are STRONGLY UNSAFE in pregnancy and breastfeeding. Croton formulations can result in miscarriage and birth defects in children. It can cause severe diarrhea in breastfeeding babies if lactating mothers use it for treating their constipation.

CONTRAINDICATIONS

Croton Tiglium (Jamal gota) is contraindicated in the following health conditions.

• Before and after surgery
• Bleeding disorders
• GERD
• Gastritis
• Abdominal pain
• Acute abdomen
• Ulcerative colitis and other inflammatory conditions of the abdomen
• Endometritis (inflammation of endometrium)

Precautions                                                                                                 

• It should be used in small amounts.
• The small doses also cause diarrhea.
• The external use causes swelling and irritation.
• It might cause chemical burns on the skin.
• It could cause damage to tissues and permanent scarring.
• It should be avoided by pregnant women, kids, and toddlers.
• It might cause blistering, itching, and skin lesions.

References

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