Title: Croton Oil
Literature References: Fixed oil expressed from seeds of Croton tiglium L., Euphorbiaceae. Constit. Croton resin; glycerides of stearic, palmitic, myristic, lauric, tiglic, etc. acids; crotin; phorbol esters, q.v. Review: Hecker, Schmidt, Fortschr. Chem. Org. Naturst. 31, 377 (1974).
Properties: Pale-yellow or brownish-yellow, rather viscid liq; slight disagreeable odor. Poisonous! d2525 0.935-0.950. nD40 1.470-1.473. Sapon no. 205-220. Iodine no. 102-118. Slightly sol in alcohol, increasing with age. Freely sol in chloroform, ether, oils, petr ether, carbon disulfide, glacial acetic acid. Keep well closed and protected from light.
Index of refraction: nD40 1.470-1.473
Density: d2525 0.935-0.950
CAUTION: Potential symptom of overexposure is hemorrhagic gastroenteritis. Direct contact may cause vesiculation, necrosis and sloughing of skin. See Clinical Toxicology of Commercial Products, R. E. Gosselin et al., Eds. (William & Wilkins, Baltimore, 5th ed., 1984) Section II, p. 228.
Use: Has been used as an irritant and cocarcinogen in cancer research.
Therap-Cat: Cathartic, counterirritant.
Therap-Cat-Vet: Formerly used as a counterirritant and a purgative. |