Medical Today

General use

Internal uses

Castor oil is a strong and effective cathartic or purgative (laxative), with components in the oil that affect both the small and large intestines. It has been used to clear the bowels after food poisoning and to relieve constipation.

It is sometimes used in hospitals to prepare the patient’s abdomen for x rays of the colon or kidneys. Castor oil is classified as a stimulant laxative, also known as a contact laxative. This type of laxative encourages bowel movements by acting on the intestinal wall, increasing the muscle contractions that move along the stool mass.

Pharmacology.

Codeine is 3-methoxymorphine, a phenanthrene opioid with very low affinity for opioid receptors. Its analgesic activity appears to result from conversion to morphine. Poor metabolizers of debrisoquine/sparteine (approximately 7% of the Caucasian population) cannot convert appreciable amounts of codeine to morphine or obtain analgesia from codeine but are still subject to the same adverse effects.

Administration and Adult Dosage.

PO, SC, or IM for analgesia 15-60 mg q 4-6 hr.