Ricin And Rca-The Enemies Within Castor (Ricinus Communis L.): A Perspective On Their Biogenesis, Mechanism Of Action, Detection Methods And Detoxification Strategies

The main impediment in utilizing the de-oiled meal of castor bean ( Ricinus communis L.) as animal feed is the presence of two toxic proteins, ricin (also known as RCA II and RCA(60)) and RCA (R. communis agglutinin, otherwise known as RCA I and RCA(120)) found in the endosperm of mature seeds. Their presence compromises with the high protein content (around 25% with balanced amino acid composition) in the leftover oilcake which otherwise could find use as an excellent animal feed. This review is an attempt at providing insights into the biology and biogenesis of ricin and RCA and various approaches for reducing or eliminating ricin and RCA in this oil crop.