Castor Oil
Pharmaceutical Grade Castor Oil
- Brand: Nova Industries
- Category: Castor Oil
- Sub-Category: Pharmacopoeial / High-Purity Castor Oils
- Compliance Class: Pharmaceutical – Meets IP / BP / USP / EP standards
- Chemical Type: Highly refined triglyceride oil (Ricinus communis) – pharmacopoeial grade
- Grade: IP / BP / USP / EP – as per specification
- Physical Form: Clear, almost colourless to very pale yellow viscous liquid
Product Overview
Pharmaceutical Grade Castor Oil from Nova Industries is a highly refined, ultra-pure form of castor oil derived from the seeds of Ricinus communis, processed and tested to meet strict pharmacopoeial standards including the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP), British Pharmacopoeia (BP), and European Pharmacopoeia (EP). Unlike industrial-grade castor oil, pharma-grade castor oil undergoes additional multi-stage refining, bleaching, deodorization, and filtration steps to achieve exceptional purity, colour clarity, and low microbial contamination levels. It is virtually colourless to pale yellow, with an extremely low acid value and minimal residual impurities.
At Nova Industries, this product is manufactured with full batch traceability, pharmacopoeial testing, and compliance documentation. It is used by pharmaceutical formulators as an excipient, laxative active ingredient, drug delivery vehicle, and in the manufacture of various pharmaceutical derivatives. It is also used in medical device coatings and as a biocompatible lubricant in certain formulations.
Technical Specifications:
| Parameter | Specification / Value |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Brilliantly Clear, Colorless to Pale Yellow |
| Odour | Faint, mild – practically odourless |
| Ricinoleic Acid Content | Min 85% |
| Acid Value | Max 0.8 – 1.0 mg KOH/g |
| Saponification Value | 176 – 187 mg KOH/g |
| Iodine Value | 82 – 90 g I₂/100g |
| Hydroxyl Value | 160 – 168 mg KOH/g |
| Peroxide Value | Max 5 meq/kg |
| Specific Gravity (25°C) | 0.956 – 0.969 g/cm³ |
| Viscosity (25°C) | 950 – 1,050 cSt |
| Moisture Content | Max 0.20% |
| Colour (Gardner) | Max 1 |
| Heavy Metals | Max 10 ppm |
| Arsenic | Max 1 ppm |
| Pharmacopoeial Compliance | IP / BP / USP / EP (as per requested grade) |
What Pharmaceutical Grade Castor Oil Does & Buyer Problems It Solves
What It Does:
- Functions as a stimulant laxative – pharmaceutical-grade castor oil is a well-established oral laxative that works by stimulating intestinal motility through ricinoleic acid’s action on intestinal mucosa, used in both adult and paediatric formulations.
- Serves as a pharmaceutical excipient and drug delivery vehicle – its controlled purity, biocompatibility, and viscosity make it suitable for use as a solubilizer, emollient, coating agent, and carrier in oral, topical, and injectable pharmaceutical formulations.
- Acts as a plasticizer and film-former in tablet and capsule coatings – pharma-grade castor oil is used in coating systems for prolonged-release tablets, providing flexibility and controlled moisture permeability to the coating film.
Buyer Problems It Solves:
- If your pharma formulation requires a castor oil excipient that consistently meets USP/BP/EP specifications – our pharmaceutical-grade product is tested against standard pharmacopoeial parameters and shipped with full compliance documentation.
- If your supplier’s castor oil shows batch-to-batch variation in colour, acid value, or impurity profile – Nova Industries’ controlled multi-stage refining process delivers highly uniform product specifications across production lots.
- If you’re struggling to find a qualified, export-ready pharmaceutical raw material supplier from India for regulated markets – our product comes with full traceability, batch CoA, and documentation suitable for FDA, EFSA, and other regulatory submissions.
- If you need pharmaceutical castor oil that meets both conventional and organic certification requirements – we can supply both standard pharma grade and organically certified variants depending on your regulatory requirements.
Key Properties & Performance Characteristics
- Appearance: Colourless to very pale yellow, clear, viscous liquid
- Acid Value: ≤ 2.0 mg KOH/g (USP/BP compliant)
- Saponification Value: 176–187 mg KOH/g
- Iodine Value: 82–90 g I₂/100g
- Hydroxyl Value: 160–168 mg KOH/g
- Specific Gravity (25°C): 0.957–0.961
- Refractive Index (25°C): 1.478–1.480
- Moisture & Volatile Matter: ≤ 0.3%
- Peroxide Value: ≤ 5 meq O₂/kg
- Heavy Metals: Meets pharmacopoeial limits
- Microbial Count: Meets USP/BP limits for oral pharmaceutical excipients
Stability, Shelf Life & Storage
- Shelf Life: 24 months from date of manufacture under recommended storage conditions
- Storage Temperature: Between 15°C and 25°C in a cool, well-ventilated area away from heat and direct light
- Light Sensitivity: Store in opaque or light-protected containers – UV exposure can increase peroxide values over time
- Container Integrity: Keep tightly sealed to prevent oxidation and moisture contamination
- Not suitable for storage near: Strong oxidizing agents, peroxides, or reactive chemical environments
- Packaging: Supplied in pharmaceutical-grade HDPE containers, glass containers, or sealed MS drums depending on order quantity and customer requirements
Manufacturing & Quality Control
Nova Industries’ Pharmaceutical Grade Castor Oil is produced through a multi-stage process that begins with carefully selected raw castor seed lots:
- Seed Selection & Cold Pressing: Raw material quality controlled from the seed stage
- Multi-Stage Refining: Degumming, neutralization, bleaching, and deodorization under controlled process parameters
- Filtration: Precision filtration to pharmacopoeial clarity specifications
- Pharmacopoeial Testing: Every batch is tested against USP/BP parameters including Acid Value, Saponification Value, Iodine Value, Heavy Metals, Peroxide Value, Moisture, and Microbial limits
- Batch Traceability: Full traceability from raw material to finished product with unique batch numbering
- Documentation: Certificate of Analysis (CoA), MSDS, GMP declaration, and regulatory support documents available
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why Us
Why Choose Nova Industries?
A few reasons why we insist you to choose Nova Industries are:
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Fresh & Pure Products
Sourced and processed with care to retain maximum purity and effectiveness.
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Export-Ready Standards
Fully compliant with international quality norms, ensuring smooth global shipments.
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Long Shelf Life
Advanced refining and packaging methods keep our products stable and effective for extended periods.
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Global Supply Capability
Robust infrastructure and logistics support to serve clients worldwide with on-time delivery.
Your Global Partner for Castor Oil Solutions
Get in touch with us for reliable supply, competitive pricing, and export-ready castor oil and derivatives.
Industry Applications & Use Cases
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Oral Laxative Formulations
Pharmaceutical grade castor oil is one of the most well-established oral stimulant laxatives. It is used in liquid oral formulations, soft gel capsules, and emulsion-type laxative products by pharmaceutical manufacturers worldwide.
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Pharmaceutical Excipient & Drug Carrier
Used as an excipient in tablet coatings, capsule fills, topical ointments, and suppository bases. Its biocompatibility, controlled viscosity, and emollient properties make it a trusted carrier for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).
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Depot Injection Vehicles
In certain depot (extended-release) injectable formulations, pharmaceutical grade castor oil serves as the oily vehicle that controls the slow release of the active drug from the injection site - used in hormonal and veterinary pharmaceutical formulations.
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Topical & Dermatological Products
Used in creams, ointments, and emollients for dermatological applications. Its high ricinoleic acid content provides anti-inflammatory and skin-conditioning benefits that complement the active ingredients in therapeutic skin care products.
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Pharmaceutical Derivatives Manufacturing
Serves as a starting material for manufacturing pharmaceutical castor oil derivatives including Polyoxyl 35 Castor Oil (Cremophor EL), polyoxyl 40 hydrogenated castor oil, and other ethoxylated derivatives used in injectable drug solubilization.
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Veterinary Pharmaceutical Formulations
Used in veterinary oral and injectable formulations as a carrier, laxative, and excipient. Pharma grade ensures the product meets the purity requirements applicable to animal health products.
FAQ`s
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Our pharmaceutical grade castor oil is tested and certified to meet the specifications of the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP), British Pharmacopoeia (BP), and European Pharmacopoeia (EP). All relevant parameters including Acid Value, Saponification Value, Iodine Value, Specific Gravity, Refractive Index, Heavy Metals, Peroxide Value, and Microbial Counts are tested per pharmacopoeial methods and reported in the batch CoA.
Castor oil is used in certain injectable formulations including depot injections, where it serves as an oil vehicle for poorly water-soluble drugs. However, the grade requirements for injectables are typically more stringent than standard USP/BP pharma grade. Please consult with our technical team with your specific formulation requirements, as additional testing and documentation may be needed for injectable applications.
Yes. Castor oil is a pharmacopoeially recognized stimulant laxative, and our pharmaceutical grade product meets the specifications required for oral pharmaceutical use. It is used by formulators for manufacturing branded laxative products in liquid and encapsulated forms. The product meets all safety, purity, and efficacy parameters required for oral pharmaceutical excipients.
Yes. We provide a full Batch Certificate of Analysis with every shipment, along with the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), Manufacturer’s Declaration, and GMP compliance statement. We can also support customers with additional regulatory documentation required for drug master files (DMF) or excipient qualification dossiers on request.
Both are refined grades with high purity compared to industrial castor oil. However, pharmaceutical grade undergoes more rigorous testing against pharmacopoeial standards including heavy metals, peroxide value, microbial limits, and specific optical and chemical parameters. Food grade castor oil, while safe for limited food contact and flavouring use, may not meet all pharmacopoeial parameters required for direct drug formulation applications.
Testimonials
valuable words from our client
We have been sourcing Hydrogenated Castor Oil and 12HSA from Nova Industries for over three years. Their product consistency and batch quality are highly reliable, which is critical for our manufacturing process. Deliveries are always on time, and their team is very responsive.
Nova Industries stands out for their professionalism and technical understanding. The quality of their castor oil derivatives meets international standards, and their documentation and export support make global sourcing seamless for us.
What we value most is Nova’s consistency and transparency. From inquiry to shipment, the process is smooth and well-managed. Their castor oil grades perform exactly as specified, helping us maintain product quality across our production lines.