Ricin: Mechanism of Action, Detection, and Intoxication

Abstract

The many uses of ricin for basic research and clinical studies have made it an intensively studied molecule. Although the exact mechanism by which the toxin kills animals is unknown, ricin kills cells by entering the cytosol and inhibiting protein synthesis. In all areas of clinical use, forensic medicine, and basic scientific inquiry, the capability to detect the toxin is of primary importance. Recent efforts to produce a vaccine originate from a perception that this widely available toxic plant protein could be a poor man's weapon of mass destruction.