Ricin (/ˈraɪsɪn/RY-sin) is a lectin (a carbohydrate-binding protein) and a highly potent toxin produced in the seeds of the castor oil plant, Ricinus communis. The median lethal dose (LD50) of ricin for mice is around 22 micrograms per kilogram of body weight via intraperitoneal injection. Oral exposure to ricin is far less toxic. An estimated lethal oral dose in humans is approximately one milligram per kilogram of body weight.[1]
^"Ricin (from Ricinus communis) as undesirable substances in animal feed-Scientific Opinion of the Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain". EFSA Journal. 6 (9). European Food Safety Authority: 726. September 2008. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2008.726.
