Objective: CASTOR (Ricinuscommunis L.) is an industrial oilseed that belongs to the family Euphorbiaceae. CASTOR is believed to be originated in East Africa probably Ethiopia. Although Ethiopia is known as a primary diversity for CASTOR the knowledge on nature and extent of variation of the indigenous germplasm is limited. The present test was conducted to study the nature and extent of variability among Ethiopian CASTOR accessions.Methods: The test was conducted at Melkassa and Arsi Negelle, in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopiaduring the main season of 2013/14. A total of 105 accessions were arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Data of 12 characters were collected and analyzed statistically. Combined analysis of variance over locations reveled the existence of significant variation among accession in all the traits considered in this study. The interaction between accessions and environment was significant for eight of the 12 traits studied.Results: The accessions showed a wide range of variation on days to first flowering (52-148), days to second flowering (65-161), days to first maturity (118-217), days to second maturity (142-237), inflorescence length (13-74 cm), node length (2-32 cm), number of nodes/plant (5-26), number of inflorescence/plant (1-26), plant height (89-356), number of branches/plant (1-9), number of capsules/plant (10-350), hundred seed weight (21-99 g),number of seeds/plant (30-990). Overall highest value of heritability, genetic coefficient of variability and genetic advance as percent of the mean was recorded for number of nodes/plant, number of capsules/plant and 100 seed weight.

Targeted drug delivery systems have been developed to overcome the disadvantages of conventional drug delivery systems and folate is one of the targeting molecules that has received attention in recent years. The attachment of this molecule to the surface of niosomal carriers has been achieved using CASTOR oil as an intermediate molecule. We synthesized caster folate (CF) and incorporate to noisome structure as biocompatible component for targeted delivery of anticancer drug Doxorubicin. This research studies the novelty of CASTOR folate ester in the scope of niosome-based drug delivery systems. The aim was to investigate the feasibility of manufacturing and evaluating a niosomal carrier containing the drug doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) and its targeting by the combination of CF. The results of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) confirm chemical bounding between folic acid and CASTOR oil. SEM showed good morphology with spherical structure of niosomes. These niosomes have particles size of 330 to 538 nm for different samples. Also, zeta potential was -28 to -40 mV that results good stability. The addition of CF to niosomal samples increased wettability and drug loading efficacy and along with DLS and zeta potential results confirms the folate impact on surface hydrophilicity of niosome spheres. The prepared formulations increased the effectiveness of doxorubicin on L929 fibroblast cells. The proposed biocompatible component showed the role of CF in the architectural integrity of niosomal lipid bilayers.

CASTOR oil was first noted to have oxytocic properties by ancient Egyptians. Derived from the CASTOR plant Ricinus communis, CASTOR oil may possess properties that are useful are in post-term pregnancies This study was performed at Khatam-Alanbia, hospital in shoushtar city in 1381.In this clinical trail 80 pregnant women, who had indication for induction of labor at term were randomly assigned to the study group (n=40), a single oral dose of CASTOR oil, or assigned to a no treatment group (n=40).The CASTOR oil was administered as a 60 ml dose diluted in orange juice.Inclusion criteria were singleton pregnancies with vertex presentation, intact membranes, and gestational age 40-42! week, Bishop Score of 4 or less, no evidence of regular uterine contractions and Gravity 1-2 Exclusion criteria were placenta previa, previous cesarean section or hystratomy, and maternal medical complications. All patients were observed for labor onset or 12 hours after CASTOR oil administration. It labor was not occurred during this time, the patients were transferred to unit for oxytocine stimulation.The 2 groups of women did not differ in maternal age, parity, or gestational age. This study was performed at Khatam-Alanbia, hospital in shoushtar city in 1381. In this clinical trail 80 pregnant women, who had indication for induction of labor at term were randomly assigned to the study group (n=40), a single oral dose of CASTOR oil, or assigned to a no treatment group (n=40). The CASTOR oil was administered as a 60 ml dose diluted in orange juice. Inclusion criteria were singleton pregnancies with vertex presentation, intact membranes, and gestational age 40-42! week, Bishop Score of 4 or less, no evidence of regular uterine contractions and Gravity 1-2 Exclusion criteria were placenta previa, previous cesarean section or hystratomy, and maternal medical complications. All patients were observed for labor onset or 12 hours after CASTOR oil administration. It labor was not occurred during this time, the patients were transferred to unit for oxytocine stimulation. The 2 group of women did not differ in maternal age, parity, or gestational age. Following the administration of CASTOR oil, 25 of the 40 woman (62.5%) began active labor compared to 3 of the 40 woman (7.5%) receiving no treatment (p<0.001). There was a significant difference in the induction-active phase interval between two groups. (p=0.004). There was a significant difference in the mean change in Bishop Score between two groups (p<0.001). There was a significant difference in the success of induction for labor rate between two groups. (p=0.007). Woman who receive CASTOR oil have an increased likelihood of initiation of labor with in 12 hours compared to woman who receive no treatment.

CASTOR (Ricinus communis L.) is one of the most ancient medicinal oil crops in the world. It has been vastly distributed in different parts of Iran. In the present study, the inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers were used to evaluate the molecular genetic diversity among and within 12 CASTOR accessions collected from 6 regions of Iran. Totally, 16 ISSR primers amplified 166 loci, of which 116 loci (69.89 %) were polymorph, indicating high genetic variability in CASTOR germplasm. An accession-specific ISSR band was detected in ‘80-29’accession. Genetic distance among accessions ranged from 0.2 to 0.056.Analysis of molecular variance revealed a higher level of genetic variation within (80%) than between (20%) accessions. A model-based Bayesian approach subdivided 60 genotypes from 12 accessions into 6 subgroups. UPGMA dendrogram based on Nei’s genetic distance classified 12 accessions into 4 groups.The result indicates that there was no association between geographical origin and ISSR patterns. The results suggest that ISSR technique is a useful tool for studying genetic diversity in CASTOR germplasm.