Castor oil, which was once used by fascists in Italy as punishment because of its quick-acting laxative effect, is now a weight-loss trend on TikTok. Not drinking it, but rubbing it on your belly.

Influencers are also pouring it in their belly buttons and wrapping towels soaked in it around their midriff. They claim it can melt belly fat and help with bloating.

Castor oil – made from the beans of the castor plant – is an ancient medicine. References to it appear in an ancient Egyptian medical text called the Ebers Papyrus (1550BC). It was used as a laxative and to treat various skin conditions. Cleopatra is said to have used it in her hair and to brighten the whites of her eyes.

The odourless oil is rich in a fatty substance called ricinoleic acid that strongly stimulates bowel movements.

It is always advised to apply a small amount of pure castor oil or a castor oil-containing cosmetic product onto a small patch of skin. If there is no allergic reaction after 24 hours, then it can be assumed that the product can be applied safely to a larger area of the body.

Ultimately, though, there are generally safer and better remedies out there. And rubbing it on your belly – sadly – won’t melt the fat.