Colocynth oil

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Description

A Semidrying oil expressed from the seeds of a watermelon type fruit (Citrullus colocynthus) native to the arid regions of northern Africa. Colocynth oil contains linoleic acid (65%), oleic acid (17.2%), palmitic acid (8.9%), and stearic acid (5.6%) (Serpico and White 2000). The oil may have been used in ancient Egypt for tanning skins and as a treatment for mange.

Synonyms and Related Terms

Citrullus colocynthus; aceite de coloquíntida (Esp.); aceite de tuera (Esp.); bitter apple; bitter cucumber

Resources and Citations

  • M.Serpico, R.White, "Oil, fat and wax" in Ancient Egyptian Materials and Technology, P.Nicholson, I.Shaw (eds.), Cambridge University Press, 2000, p. 390-429.

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