Castor bean plant

CDC Case Definition A clinically compatible case with (1) detection of urinary ricinine, an alkaloid in the castor bean plant or (2) detection of ricin in environmental samples. The case can be confirmed if laboratory testing is not performed because either a predominant amount of clinical and nonspecific laboratory evidence is present or an absolute certainty of the etiology of the agent is known. 

Ncmdrying oils are those which remain permanently greasy or sticky, becoming rancid after a time. Among these oils the most important are olive oil, castor oil from the seeds oF the castor bean plant, rape seed oil, peanut oil. almond oil. used medicinally, and tea seed oil. 

Only one of the three FDPases was found to be sensitive to inhibition by AMP this was the neutral FDPase present in ungerminated castor beans. During germination a second activity appeared which was also active with RuDP. The alkaline activity was present in mature photo-synthesizing leaves, and its properties resembled those of the enzyme isolated from spinach leaves by Racker and Schroeder (55). All of the enzymes from the castor bean plant were found to require either Mg2+ or Mn2+. 

Bruce, R., and West, C., 1989, Elicitation of lignin biosynthesis and isoperoxidase activity by pectic fragments in suspension cultures of castor bean, Plant Physiol. 91 889-897. 

Ricin is a heterodimeric glycoprotein (MW = 66 000) produced by the castor bean plant Ricinus communis with the two protein subunits linked by a single disulfide bond. Conditions for the analysis of ricin with CE, using uncoated and coated capillaries as well the influence of buffer systems (run buffer... 

Broun, P., and Somerville, C. 1997. Accumulation of ricinoleic, lesquerolic, and deni-polic acids in seeds of transgenic Arabidopsis plant that express a fatty acyl hydroxylase cDNA from castor bean. Plant Physiol., 113, 933-942. 

Dermal and Ocular Exposure Allergic reaction may occur after handling an intact castor bean plant or exposure to the castor bean dust (Metz et al., 2001 Thorpe et al., 1988). There are no reports of human toxicity by skin contact with abrin. Abrin in powder or mist form can cause redness and pain of the skin and the eyes. 

See also Castor Bean Plants, Poisonous Wisteria. 

As an additional source of complexity, the ricin gene is part of a multigene family within the castor bean plant that encodes for the production of pro-ricin (the natural ricin precursor), several apparently inactive polypeptides, and a well-studied, structurally related lectin called R. communis agglutinin I (RCA120) (Tregear and Roberts, 1992 Pinkerton et al., 1999 Helmy and Pieroni, 2000). 

The persistent chemical agents which could be used in a foodborne attack, aimed at poisoning human consumers, include the nerve agent VX, any of the mycotoxins—aflatoxin, T-2 toxin, nivalenol (see Appendix A for discussion of their toxicology)—and compounds such as ricin produced from the castor bean plant. Chapter 5 should be consulted for a full discussion on natural toxins. These chemicals, combined with the biotoxins listed above, could potentially be used in the food supply. This would not be an easy task since many of these agents are toxic to animals and thus might kill the host, preventing dissemination into the food distribution system. 

A. Characteristics. Ricin is a glycoprotein toxin from the seed of the castor bean plant. Altering ribosomal RNA blocks protein synthesis, thereby killing infected cells. Ricin s significance as a potential biological warfare agent relates to its availability worldwide, ease of production, and extreme pulmonary toxicity when inhaled. 

The castor bean plant (Ricinus communis) is grown for commercial and ornamental purposes. The residue or pomace after castor oil extraction of castor beans gives rise to dust which may cause sensitivity reactions or poisoning. 

Mann, D.F. and R.U. Byermm Activation of the de novo pathway for pyridine nucleotide biosynthesis prior to ricinine biosynthesis in castor beans Plant Physiol. 53 (1974) 603-609. 

Ricin Toxin from Castor Bean Plant. Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. Poisonons Plants Informational Database Available http //www.ansci.cornell.edn/plants/toxicagents/ ricin/ricin.html. 

Ricin toxin from castor bean plant. Available http //7plus7.com/MedicaINews/News/ Ricin.htm. 

Ricinine.—Ricinine (49), the alkaloid of castor bean plants, is derived from nicotinic acid (28) and quinolinic acid (48), and its formation is intimately associated with the pyridine nucleotide cycle cf. ref. 6. Quinolinic acid is built from a C3 fragment that is formed from glycerol via glyceraldehyde and a C4 unit that is related to succinic or aspartic acids. A recent investigation has confirmed this pathway for ricinine (49) and indicated that dihydroxyacetone phosphate lies between glycerol and glyceraldehyde (loss of tritium from C-2 of labelled glycerol). ... 

Abrin is similar to ricin, a toxin that is aLso found in the seeds of a plant (the castor bean plant). However, abrin is much more poisonous than ricin. 

A recent report described MALDI-TOF MS characterization of ricin, an extremely potent poison from the seeds of the castor bean plant. Ricin has been mentioned in terrorism literature and was reportedly used in a high profile international spy homicide case. In the MS application, samples were first purified by LC fractionation or molecular weight cutoff filtration. Confirmation was carried out by comparing the MALDI-TOF MS spectrum of the tryptic digest against a standard and GC-MS identification of an alkaloid marker, ricinine. 

Ricinoleic acid (D-12-hydroxyoctadec-cis-9-enoic acid), is an hydroxylated fatty acid which constitutes 85-90% of the seed fatty acids in castor bean plants (Ricinus communis L). This unusual fatty acid is also one of a series of related Hydroxy Fatty Acids (HFAs) produced in the seeds of Lesquerella species. In these species, which, like A. thaliana and rapeseed belong to the Brassicacae family, ricinoleic acid is generally a minor constituent. Major HFAs include densipolic (12-OH, 18 2 (3,9)), lesquerolic (14-OH, 20 1 (9)) and auricolic (14-OH, 20 2 (3,9)) acids. 

Dyer, J.H., Ryu, S.B. and Wang, X. (1994) Multiple forms of phospholipase D following germination and during leaf developmnet of Castor bean. Plant. Physiol. 105, 715 - 724. 

There is another application of chemotaxonomy, actually chemotaxon-omy a rebours (in reverse). A chemist, pharmacologist, or biochemist can be guided by the botanist in searching for plants which produce compounds of special interest. The castor bean plant, Ricinus communis, produces a peculiar alkaloid, ricinine. Studies by Waller et al. (1966), Essery et al. (1962), and Jackanicz and Byerrum (1966), showed some of the pathway of its biosynthesis. The genus Ricinus is monotypic, represented by the single species R. communis. No other plant among the Euphorbiaceae is known to accumulate ricinine. In 1964, a new alkaloid, nudiflorine, was isolated by... 

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