UMEM Educational Pearls

Category: Toxicology

Title: What is the name of the toxin found in this bean?

Posted: 7/9/2020 by Hong Kim, MD, MPH
Click here to contact Hong Kim, MD, MPH

What is the name of the toxin found in this seed/bean and its mechanism of toxicity?

Name: Jequirity bean or rosary pea (Abrius precatorius)

Toxin: Abrin (toxalbumin)

Mechanism of toxicity:

Exposure

Ingestion (most common): The bean/pea must be chewed or grinded, which releases Abrin, to cause toxicity. Whole bean/pea ingestion without breaking its shell is non-toxic
Injection (rare): potentially life-threatening.

Signs and symptoms of toxicity:

GI: nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea (common) --> electrolyte abnormalities, hypovolemia, GI bleeding
Severe toxicity: multiorgan failure, hypovolemic shock and death.

Treatment:

Audi et al. Ricin poisoning: A comprehensive review. JAMA 2005 Nov 9;294(18):2342-51.
Rinner GR et al. Fatal abrin poisoning by injection. CLin Toxicol (Phila). 2020 June 1;1-3. doi: 10.1080/15563650.2020.1771360.