Ricin poisoning may one day be treatable with new antidote

Blend of antibodies could neutralize toxic effects, tests in mice show

castor beans

DANGEROUS BEANS  The potent toxin ricin is found in castor beans (shown). No antidote exists for ricin poisoning, but a new antibody treatment that’s effective in mice could potentially help.

HediBougghanmi2014/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

WASHINGTON — It has been used by an assassin wielding a poisoned umbrella and sent in a suspicious letter to a president.