Ricin is a deadly toxin that comes from castor beans, and a dose the size of a grain of sand is enough to kill.
The toxin works by disrupting the ribosomes and stopping protein production and is ultimately a deadly pathogen. There is no antidote to the toxin, although it is possible to survive if the dose is small.

Ricin is a toxic substance that is naturally present in castor beans, and when you eat or chew castor beans and swallow them, this can lead to poisoning with this substance, and ricin can also be made in the form of powder or granules, which can be dissolved in water or a weak acid.

 This material is considered a stable or stable material under normal conditions, but the effect of this substance can be disabled by heating it to a temperature above 80 degrees Celsius, or 176 degrees Fahrenheit.

 Castor beans are processed all over the world to make castor oil, which is used extensively, and ricin is one of the substances that remain after processing these grains, and in some studies, this substance has been used to treat and kill cancer cells, this substance enters the cells of the body and prevents them From the formation of proteins that cause the death of these cells and the complete damage to the body, according to the Surat website.

What are the routes of exposure to ricin? 

Making ricin requires planning and study, and it is not normally found anywhere, and the main purpose of ricin is to directly poison a person, and the methods of exposure to this substance are as follows:

Exposure to this toxic substance is possible if it is converted into partially pure material or refined so that it is used for a terrorist act or in some wars, and this substance can enter a person’s body through air, water, or food. In 1978 this substance was used to poison and kill Georgy Markov, a writer, and journalist was done by injecting this substance under his skin.

Poisoning with ricin is not considered contagious, so disease or poisoning cannot be transmitted from one person to another, but a person can be exposed to this substance by touching a person carrying this substance on his body or clothes, and in the forties of the last century the US military used this substance in some Wars.

What are the symptoms of ricin poisoning?

Many symptoms appear on a person when exposed to ricin, and this largely depends on how ricin entered the person's body, such as inhalation, swallowing, or touching, and these different symptoms are as follows:
If ricin enters the body through inhalation, the symptoms are difficulty breathing, fever or high temperature, coughing and a feeling of nausea, and severe sweating and fluid accumulation in the lungs and pulmonary edema may occur, causing respiratory failure, fatigue, respiratory failure, and death.
 If this substance is swallowed, the person may have diarrhea and vomiting, which may be accompanied by blood, and the person may suffer from severe dehydration, which is followed by a sharp drop in pressure, the appearance of blood in the urine, and ricin may cause some hallucinations, after a few days the affected person’s liver and kidneys stop working Ultimately, death occurs.
If a person is exposed to injection with this substance, this may cause complete failure in the movement of the body's muscles, and the lymph nodes near the site of injection, and then the liver, kidneys, and spleen stop working, and this can cause severe bleeding from the intestine and stomach, which leads to death quickly due to the failure of much work. An important part of the body.
If the face of a person or patient is exposed to this substance, it will immediately cause a feeling of burning and irritation in the eyes, mouth, and nose and this substance can also cause redness and severe sensitivity of the skin in the face, neck and respiratory tract area.

What is the treatment for ricin poisoning?

There is still no effective antidote or treatment for ricin, so it is recommended in the first place to try not to be exposed to this substance, and if exposure to ricin is exposed, it must be excreted from the body in any way, and methods of treating ricin poisoning are as follows:
The first step in the treatment of ricin poisoning is to reduce the symptoms that affect the patient in the event of exposure to this substance, and this is done by determining the path of entry of the substance if it is by swallowing, inhalation, by touch, or through the eyes, so doctors help the patient to breathe by A respirator is installed, and the patient is given adequate amounts of intravenous fluids.
One of the methods of treating poisoning with this substance is to give the patient many medicines that help treat some of the symptoms that appear, such as convulsions or seizures and treat low blood pressure, and the patient’s stomach is also washed with activated charcoal if the patient swallows this substance, and the eyes are washed with water regularly. Good if they were exposed to this toxic substance.

What are the tips for prevention when exposed to ricin?

Some many tips and practices are useful to prevent injury and damage when exposed to ricin, and these tips help reduce exposure to large amounts of it, and these practices are as follows:
It is advised to get out of the place inside which this substance was exposed and breathe fresh air. If a person is inside a building or a closed place, he must get out of it as soon as possible, and he must stay away from any other people in order not to be exposed to this substance if it is present on the person’s body or clothes.
It is advised to remove the clothes immediately upon exposure to this substance and to wash the body completely with soap and water, especially the face and eyes area, and it is desirable to dispose of these clothes as soon as possible inside a sealed plastic bag and this greatly helps to protect the person and other people from exposure to this substance further.