Which among the following is the source of Ricin, a toxic substance?
Which among the following is the source of Ricin, a toxic substance?
[A]Khesari Dal
[B]Castor bean
[C]Soya bean
[D]Guar gum
Castor bean
Ricin is a toxin that is fatal to humans in extremely small doses. Just 1 milligram is a deadly amount if inhaled or ingested, and only 500 micrograms of the substance would kill an adult if it were injected (CDC). Ricin comes from the castor bean plant (Ricinus communis) it is present in the mash that is left over after grinding castor beans into oil. It can be delivered as a powder, a mist or a pill. Ricin is a ribosome-inactivating protein it irrevocably damages the ribosomes that carry out protein synthesis in cells. The ribosome-inactivating proteins found in the castor bean plant are extremely powerful, and ricin poisoning can do serious damage to major organs.
