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A ‘Bulgarian Umbrella’ is Not What You Want If It’s Raining Spies.
This is one of those times where it is better not to chew your food.
The castor bean is planted and harvested around the world. Every part of this plant contains the toxalbumin ricin. Toxicity varies with growing conditions and origin, but all can cause toxicity and potentially be fatal.
These plants are often grown due to their ornamental look. The plant is usually turned into castor oil.The oil can be used as an emollient for dry skin. It has been consumed medically as a treatment for everything from constipation to heartburn, even though there isn’t any good scientific evidence to support these uses. In the oil form it is non toxic.
Toxicity can occur via ingestion, inhalation, and injection. In each method, ricin causes the cells in the area to die. Bioterrorism and homicide have used purified ricin.
Toxic Dose
The castor beans are not as toxic with ingestion as we used to think. If the seeds are swallowed whole, they are non-toxic. It is when the beans are chewed or pierced that the toxins are released, and the damage to cells begins.
Fatal doses are estimated to be 4–6 chewed beans in children and 20 in adults. This amount is an estimate only as the…
