Castor oil is a vegetable oil made from pressing castor beans. It has been used as a laxative for over 2000 years and to induce labor in pregnant women (though there is no science to support this claim). The Ebers Papyrus is a medical papyrus listing useful herbs, folk remedies, and magical formulas, dating to 1550 B.C. It represents the most extensive and best-preserved medical knowledge of ancient Egypt.

But what did the Egyptians use it for? They put drops in their eyes to protect them from irritation. According to mythos, Cleopatra even used castor oil to brighten the whites of her eyes.