The use of anti-ricin antibodies to protect mice intoxicated with ricin

Antibodies raised in rabbits to ricin or its constituent polypeptide chains are effective at securing mice from ricin intoxication if given soon enough after administration of the toxin. The maximum safe period for intravenous injection of 100 μg antibody is 40 min after intravenous injection of 1 μg ricin, increasing to 640 min in the case of subcutaneously injected ricine. The antibodies raised against the isolated A and B chains are as effective as those against whole ricin. The antibody is as effective when administered intracerebrally as by the intravenous route; this result, combined with the very high toxicity for ricin administrered intracerebrally suggests a neurotoxic role for the lectin.