Ricinus communis Intoxications in Human and Veterinary Medicine—A Summary of Real Cases 英文参考文献.docVIP

Toxins 2011, 3, 1332-1372; doi:10.3390/toxins3101332 OPEN ACCESS toxins ISSN 2072-6651 /journal/toxins Review Ricinus communis Intoxications in Human and Veterinary Medicine—A Summary of Real Cases Sylvia Worbs 1, Kernt K?hler 2, Diana Pauly 1, Marc-André Avondet 3, Martin Schaer 3, Martin B. Dorner 1 and Brigitte G. Dorner 1,* 1 Centre for Biological Security, Microbial Toxins (ZBS3), Robert Koch-Institut, Nordufer 20, Berlin 13353, Germany; E-Mails: worbss@rki.de (S.W.); paulyd@rki.de (D.P.); dornerm@rki.de (M.B.D.) 2 Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Frankfurter Street 96, Giessen 35392, Germany; E-Mail: Kernt.Koehler@vetmed.uni-giessen.de 3 Biology and Chemistry Section, Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports DDPS SPIEZ LABORATORY, Austrasse 1, Spiez CH-3700, Switzerland; E-Mails: marc.avondet@babs.admin.ch (M.-A.A.); Martin.Schaer@babs.admin.ch (M.S.) * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: dornerb@rki.de; Tel.: +49-30-18754-2500; Fax: +49-30-18754-2501. Received: 15 August 2011; in revised form: 26 September 2011 / Accepted: 30 September 2011 / Published: 24 October 2011 Abstract: Accidental and intended Ricinus communis intoxications in humans and animals have been known for centuries but the causative agent remained elusive until 1888 when Stillmark attributed the toxicity to the lectin ricin. Ricinus communis is grown worldwide on an industrial scale for the production of castor oil. As by-product in castor oil production ricin is mass produced above 1 million tons per year. On the basis of its availability, toxicity, ease of preparation and the current lack of medical countermeasures, ricin has gained attention as potential biological warfare agent. The seeds also contain the less toxic, but highly homologous Ricinus communis agglutinin and the alkaloid ricinine, and especially the latter can be used to track intox