Where is ricin grown

The oral lethal dose of castor beans has been determined to be; horses 0. After extraction of the oil, the remaining'cake' once heat-treated is a useful, high protein food source for cattle.

Ricin is a highly poisonous compound that can be absorbed from the intestinal tract, and after being metabolized in the liver, it is absorbed into cells where it inhibits ribosomal protein synthesis. Toxic effects appear within a few hours and is generally fatal. Unless the seeds are well chewed prior to them being swallowed, the toxin will not be available for absorption, and signs of poisoning will be minimal if any. Birds that eat the seeds will be affected because their muscular stomach grinds the seeds to release the toxins.

The leaves of the castor bean plant are also poisonous causing transitory muscle tremors, ataxia, and excessive salivation. Fatalities are rare in animals eating the leaves. Description An annual or short-lived perennial, growing to a small tree in warmer climates. Leaves are large, alternate, palmate with serrate lobes. New leaves are usually red-purple in color turning green with maturity. The male and female flowers are produced on terminal panicles.

Saturated fats in red meats and tropical palms can increase the amount of LDLs in the blood; however, margarines can also raise the level of LDLs. Trans fatty acids in margarines and shortenings made from partially hydrogenated plant oils have been linked to the epidemic of heart disease in the U. At this time, the best type of fatty acids for a healthy balance of LDLs and HDLs are the monounsaturated fatty acids found in olive oil Olea europea and canola oil Brassica napus.

In addition to the benefits of monounsaturated olive and canola oils, omega-3 fatty acids prevalent in fish oils and flax seeds Linum usitatissimum may actually help to reduce levels of LDLs in the blood and lower the risk of atherosclerosis. Diets rich in polyunsaturated oils have be correlated with an increased risk of certain cancers because of highly reactive carbon fragments from the breakdown of fatty acids.

These carbon fragments have unpaired electrons and are powerful oxidizing agents known as free radicals. See Olive Fruits Olea europea. The popular "Atkins diet" named after the physician Dr.

Robert Atkins results in substantial weight loss by consuming fat-laden red meats with little are no carbohydrates. The normal primary source for energy-rich ATP molecules is the aerobic oxidation of glucose derived from complex carbohydrates. When carbohydrates are in short supply the body breaks down fat resulting in ketone bodies known as acetoacetic acid and beta-hydroxybutyric acid. This process is known as ketosis. Ketones are a fuel alternative for glucose in most cells.

Acetone, which gives off the pecular breath odor of ketosis, comes from acetoacetic acid. When an animal stops eating, free fatty acids are released into the blood stream and are processed by the liver. Ketosis occurs during prolonged starvation, uncontrolled diabetes and the Atkins diet.

Although the Atkins diet recommends vegetables plus vitamin and mineral supplements, some dieticians are skeptical about this extreme method of weight reduction. There is ample evidence that high protein diets increase the risk of gout and kidney stones. Extra calcium is also taken from bone tissue. Some physicians question whether the brain can function properly during prolonged periods of ketosis. There can be a dramatic weight loss when the body uses dietary fat and protein as an energy source, but anyone on the Atkins diet should be eating plenty of fruits and vegetables and probably should be taking vitamin and mineral supplements.

See a comprehensive evaluation of the Atkins Diet and other low-carb diets: Johnson, P. Seeds and liquid wax of jojoba Simmondsia chinensis , a native shrub of the southwestern United States. The white, solid wax is produced by hydrogenation of the unsaturated liquid wax. This process involves the addition of hydrogen to the fatty acids under heat and pressure.

The seed capsules of jojoba Simmondsia chinensis , a native shrub of the southwestern United States. Each capsule contains one oily seed, the source of jojoba "oil" which is technically an unsaturated liquid wax.

A western wood tick Dermacentor occidentalis. The mottled body of certain ticks superficially resembles a castor bean seed especially when the tick is engorged with blood , and the tick's head resembles the caruncle of a castor bean seed. The clear, yellowish oil and attractive but deadly seeds of the castor plant Ricinus communis. Castor oil is one of the world's most useful and economically important natural plant oils.

For More Information: Robertus, J. Vitetta, E. Wiley, R. Edited by R. Keeler and A. Marcel Dekker, Inc. Castor Bean References Armstrong, W. Hill, A. Economic Botany. Ribosome inactivation by the toxic lectins abrin and ricin. Roberts, L. The primary sequence of Ricinus communis agglutinin. Comparison with ricin. Harley, S. Lectins in castor bean seedlings. Plant Physiol. Baldoni, A. Immunolocalization of ricin accumulation during castor bean Ricinus communis L.

Plant Biol. Pinkerton, S. Selection of castor for divergent concentrations of ricin and Ricinus communis agglutinin. Crop Sci. CAS Google Scholar. Auld, D. Variability of ricin c ontent in mature seeds of castor bean.

Butterworth, A. Ricin and Ricinus communis agglutinin subunits are all derived from a single-size polypeptide precursor. Worbs, S. Ricinus communis intoxications in human and veterinary medicine — A summary of real cases. Bozza, W. Ricin detection: tracking active toxin.

He, X. II, Griffey, S. Ricin toxicokinetics and its sensitive detection in mouse sera or feces using immuno-PCR. Musshoff, F. Ricin poisoning and forensic toxicology. Drug Test. Madeira, J.

Detoxification of castor bean residues and the simultaneous production of tannase and phytase by solid-state fermentation using Paecilomyces variotii. Fernandes, K. Simultaneous allergen inactivation and detoxification of castor bean cake by treatment with calcium compounds.

Chan, A. Draft genome sequence of the oilseed species Ricinus communis. Leshin, J. Characterization of ricin toxin family members from Ricinus communis.

Singh, A. Role of conventional and biotechnological approaches in genetic improvement of castor Ricinus communis L. Crops Prod. Google Scholar. Guo, Q. RNA Silencing in plants: Mechanisms, technologies and applications in horticultural crops. Nunes, A. RNAi-mediated silencing of the myo -inositolphosphate synthase gene GmMIPS1 in transg enic soybean inhibited seed development and reduced phytate content. Wesley, S. Construct design for efficient, effective and high-throughput gene silencing in plants.

Plant J. Characterization of ricin and R. Sehgal, P. Purification, characterization and toxicity profile of ricin isoforms from castor beans. Food Chem. Pincus, S. Identification of hypoglycemia in mice as a surrogate marker of ricin toxicosis. Diniz, L. Castor bean mea l for cattle finishing: 1—Nutritional parameters. Vilhjalmsdottir, L. Castor bean meal as a protein source for chickens: Detoxification and determination of limiting amino acids.

Gionbelli, T. Utilization of castor bean meal treated with calcium hydroxide, fed wet or dry, by lambs. Akande, T. A review of nutritional and toxicological implications of castor bean Ricinus communis L. Lannoo, N. Lectin domains at the frontier of plants.

Plant Sci. Loss-Morais, G. Analysis of castor bean ribosome-inactivating proteins and their gene expression during seed development. Godoy, M. Use of a low-cost methodo logy for biodetoxification of castor bean waste and lipase production. Enzyme Microb. Bonfim, K. RNAi-mediated resistance to Bean golden mosaic virus in genetically engineered common bean Phaseolus vulgari s. Plant Microbe Interact. Selection of transgenic meristematic cells utilizing a herbicidal molecule results in the recovery of fertile transgenic soybean [ Glycine max L.

Merril] plants at a high frequency. Rech, E. High-efficiency transformation by biolistics of soybean, common bean and cotton transgenic plants. Jefferson, R. EMBO J. Lacorte, C. Davey, M. Molecular characterization of the first commercial transgenic common bean immune to the Bean golden mosaic virus. Yoo, B. A systemic s mall RNA signaling system in plants. Cheah, K. Grape seed extract protects IEC-6 cells from chemotherapy-induced cytotoxicity and improves parameters of small intestinal mucositis in rats with experimentally-induced mucositis.

Cancer Biol. Download references. We thank Dr. Ariosvaldo N. Eduardo de O. Present address: Embrapa Agrossilvipastoril, Rod. Sousa, Glaucia B. Cabral, Aisy B. You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar.

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