Ricin: mechanism of toxicity, clinical manifestations, and vaccine development. A review.
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.
Doan
Leah G
LG
Department of Chemistry, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, USA. ldoan@mines.edu
D000818:Animals; D023482:Bioterrorism; D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure; D011041:Poisoning / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D012276:Ricin / Q000276:immunology / Q000633:toxicity*; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology
D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D012276:Ricin