It is intriguing to imagine that the solution for countless health concerns can be purchased at the grocery store or pharmacy.

Castor oil, a vegetable oil made from castor beans, has been touted as one such product. It is Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved as a laxative, but recently, social media posts have claimed that castor oil can detoxify the liver, promote weight loss and even break up tumors.

Does castor...