Topic summary
Ricin
Ricin ( ) is a lectin (a carbohydrate-binding protein) and a highly potent toxin produced in the seeds of the castor plant, Ricinus communis. The median lethal dose (LD50) of ricin for mice is around 22 micrograms per kilogram of body mass via intraperitoneal injection. Oral exposure to ricin is far less toxic. An estimated lethal oral dose in humans is approximately one milligram per 2 kilogram of body mass.
Ricin is a toxalbumin and was first discovered by Peter Hermann Stillmark, the founder of lectinology. Ricin is chemically similar to robin.