Ricin

Ricin is a toxic compound found in the seeds of the castor plant. Ricin is a powerful and deadly poison that interferes with the body’s ability to make proteins, which is essential to survival. Ingestion, inhalation, or injection of ricin can result in serious illness and death. Ricin has been used in various bioterrorism attacks and its presence in terrorist recipes has led to increased interest in its detection and use as a potential weapon. Ricin also has several potential therapeutic applications such as in cancer therapy and its use as a research tool for the study of protein synthesis.