El aceite de ricino, en muchas ocasiones mal traducido como aceite de castor por su denominación en inglés (castor oil), se obtiene a partir de la planta Ricinus communis, que contiene aproximadamente un 40-50 % del aceite. El aceite a su vez contiene el 70-77 % de los triglicéridos del ácido ricinoleico. A diferencia de las propias semillas, no es tóxico.

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Castor oil is a vegetable oil obtained by pressing the seeds of the castor oil plant (Ricinus communis). The common name "castor oil", from which the plant gets its name, probably comes from its use as a replacement for castoreum, a perfume base made from the dried perineal glands of the beaver (castor in Latin). Castor oil is a colorless to very pale yellow liquid with a distinct taste and odor once first ingested. Its boiling point is 313 °C (595 °F) and its density is 961 kg/m3. It is a triglyceride in which approximately 90 percent of fatty acid chains are ricinoleates. Oleate and linoleates are the other significant components. Castor oil and its derivatives are used in the manufacturing of soaps, lubricants, hydraulic and brake fluids, paints, dyes, coatings, inks, cold resistant plastics, waxes and polishes, nylon, pharmaceuticals and perfumes.

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