Croton Oil: Properties, Uses & Safety Concerns

Coming from Croton tiglium, a plant that's a member of the species codiaeum, croton oil has been used for a variety of herbal purposes in the past. However, it's no longer as popular as it once was.

Seeds

• Croton oil is made from the seeds of Croton tiglium, which is a small, Asian shrub.

Characteristics

• Croton oil is brownish-yellow, viscous and foul smelling.

Use of croton oil

• Croton oil has been used in the past as a drastic purgative and as a counter-irritant.

Cancer causing

• Croton oil has rarely been used since its toxicity was discovered. It's been shown to cause skin cancer, and other long-term conditions in those who survived its regular use.

Manufacture of Croton

• Most of the croton oil that's currently manufactured and exported is made in Indiana and Sri Lanka, with smaller amounts of the oil being made in Europe.