Ricin: mechanism of toxicity, clinical manifestations, and vaccine development. A review.

Leah G Doan

Department of Chemistry, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, USA.

Journal Article: Journal of toxicology. Clinical toxicology 02/2004; 42(2):201-8.

Abstract

Ricin is one of the most potent plant toxins known, and the castor plant from which it is derived, Ricinus communis, is ubiquitous. The harvesting of castor beans exceeds one million tons annually, and ricin is easier to produce than either anthrax or botulinum. As a result, ricin is a convenient, potent, and available toxin for terrorist acts. This paper will review the mechanism of toxicity, major clinical manifestations, treatment, current methods of detection, and vaccine development.

Source: PubMed

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Keywords

available toxin
 
botulinum
 
current methods
 
major clinical manifestations
 
million tons
 
potent
 
potent plant toxins
 
ricin
 
Ricinus communis
 
terrorist acts