Ricin Poisoning
Context:
The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad recently arrested three men for allegedly trying to produce the lethal chemical compound Ricin, reportedly for a terror attack.
What is Ricin?
Ricin is a protein that can be extracted from the castor bean.
Castor beans are grown industrially in countries like India, Brazil, and China.
It is highly lethal
Even 1 mg mixed in food can kill an adult.
The plant is widely available
The poison is not very difficult to extract
During the processing of castor oil, the ricin is removed, making the oil safe for use.
Mechanism of Action
Ricin attaches itself to the ribosomes within cells
Ribosomes are responsible for synthesizing proteins
By binding to them, ricin stops protein synthesis, which can lead to multi-organ failure and death
Symptoms of Poisoning:
Ingestion can cause severe vomiting, bloody diarrhoea, low blood pressure, hallucinations, and seizures
Inhalation may lead to difficulty breathing, cough, and tightness in the chest
Injection can cause multiple organ systems to fail
Treatment
There is no antidote or specific treatment for ricin poisoning
Treatment is symptomatic.
If a person arrives at the hospital early enough, vomiting may be induced or the stomach washed to remove the poison
Classification and Use
Ricin is listed as a Schedule 1 toxin under the Chemical Weapons Convention.
It was studied as a chemical agent by the U.S. during WWI and by Iraq in 1980.
Its most famous criminal use was the assassination of Bulgarian journalist Gorgi Markov in London in 1978.