Citation

Doan LG. J. Toxicol. Clin. Toxicol. 2004; 42(2): 201-208.

Affiliation

Department of Chemistry, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, USA. ldoan@mines.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2004, Marcel Dekker)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

15214627

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.