The castor bean plant is prized for its castor oil and full, fast-growing leaves, but the castor beans it bears produces a deadly poison that kills people within days. Castor beans contains a toxic protein called ricin, which releases when chewed, mashed, or finely ground. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), several tell-tale symptoms occur within 12 hours of ingesting castor beans, with deadly symptoms arising in one to three days.
Symptoms: Ingested
Chewing castor beans releases ricin into the body, causing several deadly symptoms. Within 36 hours, severe abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea are present. Less common symptoms include a severe electrolyte imbalance, dehydration and bloody urine. After the 36 hour period, deadly symptoms develop, including liver and kidney damage, causing organ failure and ultimately death.
Symptoms: Inhaled
Inhaling the vapor from crushed castor beans causes several respiratory issues leading to death. Common, early developing symptoms include difficultly breathing, persistent cough, chest tightness, nausea and vomiting. If the castor bean poison continues to attack the body, pulmonary edema develops. If left untreated, too much fluid will build up in the lungs, causing respiratory failure and death.
Symptoms: Skin Exposure
Exposing castor bean poison to the skin produces less severe symptoms. These symptoms include redness at the exposure site, itching and inflammation. It is usually temporary and only lasts for a couple of days.
Time Frame
Castor bean poisoning can develop within six to 72 hours, depending on the type of exposure. Inhaling castor bean poison causes symptoms to develop in six to 12 hours, whereas skin exposure develops slowly. The time between exposure and symptoms also depends on a person's size, physical condition and the amount of castor bean poison.
Effects
If organ damage was caused by the castor bean poison, it is often permanent. The major organs, including the kidneys and liver, may never resume normal functioning. If it affects the lungs, persistent coughing or difficulty breathing may become a lifelong issue.
Size
According to Cornell University, one milligram of concentrated castor bean poison is enough to kill. A person must eat several castor beans to release this amount into the bloodstream.
Warning
There is no antidote for castor bean poison, and medical care focuses on alleviating its symptoms, not the causes. Castor bean poison can kill even if the person receives medical treatment. People should avoid coming into contact with castor beans if possible.
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