Ricin is a plant toxin found in and extracted from castor beans
Effect on the body: Ricin inhibits protein synthesis in the body by making sure that messenger RNA cannot tell cells how to assemble the amino acids they need to make the protein. The cells will die, and if left untreated, a victim may experience symptoms and death within 1-4 days.
Symptoms of ricin poisoning: The symptoms of being poisoned by ricin completely depend on the method of entrance to the body, but they are all acute, and if left untreated, a person poisoned by ricin will die.
Treatment: There is no actual antidote for ricin, though an experimental one was tested in the United Kingdom, but was never deemed safe for humans. The only way to deal with a ricin poisoning is to try to rid the victim of the source of ricin immediately, and to recognize that ricin is the problem, not some other ailment. Then, victims' symptoms must be minimized to try to prevent death.
- It can come in various forms like a powder or a mist. In the case study page, you will find that the form used was a pellet.
- The common use of castor beans is for the purpose of making castor oil. As with the making of any oil, there is a sort of waste left over afterwards. Ricin is a lectin (a type of protein) that is part of this waste when castor oil is made. That is also why, when people eat castor beans, especially if they chew them thoroughly, they will cause the beans to release ricin.
Effect on the body: Ricin inhibits protein synthesis in the body by making sure that messenger RNA cannot tell cells how to assemble the amino acids they need to make the protein. The cells will die, and if left untreated, a victim may experience symptoms and death within 1-4 days.
Symptoms of ricin poisoning: The symptoms of being poisoned by ricin completely depend on the method of entrance to the body, but they are all acute, and if left untreated, a person poisoned by ricin will die.
- General: Fever, diarrhea, coughing, nausea, and other flu-like symptoms.
- Inhalation: Breathing in ricin would obviously cause the ricin to enter the lungs, meaning the symptoms will be most prominent there. For example, people who inhale ricin will most likely have difficulty breathing, and fluid may build up in the lungs.
- Ingestion: Consuming ricin would mean that the stomach would exhibit the most prominent symptoms. For example, people who ingest ricin will often vomit, have diarrhea (possibly bloody), and become severely dehydrated. In bad cases, victims will have seizures and exhibit blood in their urine.
- Skin: Though very rare, some people may be poisoned by ricin through the epidermis. Usually, however, it will only result in irritation and redness, as discussed in the case study page. Bigger problems would arise if someone had ricin on their finger and then ended up consuming it.
Treatment: There is no actual antidote for ricin, though an experimental one was tested in the United Kingdom, but was never deemed safe for humans. The only way to deal with a ricin poisoning is to try to rid the victim of the source of ricin immediately, and to recognize that ricin is the problem, not some other ailment. Then, victims' symptoms must be minimized to try to prevent death.
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