View source for Abrus precatorius

{{italic title}}
{{Taxobox
| name = Jequirity
| image = Abrus precatorius pods.jpg
| image_width = 250px
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Dicotyledon|Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Fabales]]
| familia = [[Fabaceae]]
| subfamilia = [[Faboideae]]
| tribus = [[Abreae]]
| genus = ''[[Abrus]]''
| species = '''''A. precatorius'''''
| binomial = ''Abrus precatorius''
| binomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
}}

'''''Abrus precatorius''''', known commonly as '''Jequirity''', '''Crab's Eye''', '''Rosary Pea''', ''''''John Crow'''''' Bead, '''Precatory bean''', '''Indian Licorice''', '''Akar Saga''', '''Giddee Giddee''' or '''[[Jumbie]] Bead''' in [[Trinidad & Tobago]],<ref>Mendes (1986), p. 79.</ref> is a slender, perennial climber that twines around  trees, shrubs, and hedges.  It is a [[legume]] with long, pinnate-leafleted [[Leaf|leaves]]. It is also known as ''Gunja'' in [[Sanskrit]] and some Indian languages and '''[[Ratti]]''' in Hindi. With ratti name, it was also long used to measure 0.12125&nbsp;grams of a traditional unit, mostly used by jewellers and [[Ayurved]] doctors.<ref>[http://www.bhopalbirds.com/abrus_precatorius.asp Abrus precatorius : Gunja (Ratti)]|Bhopal Birds|Parag Bakshi, March 01, 2007|Archieved on [[March 17]], [[2010]]</ref> The [[seed]]s are also often used as beads and in percussion instruments. The seed contains the toxic [[poison]] [[abrin]].  The plant is native to [[Indonesia]] and grows in tropical and subtropical areas of the world where it has been introduced.  It has a tendency to become [[weed]]y and invasive where it has been introduced.
==Toxin==
The [[toxin]] present in ''Abrus precatorius'' is a close relative to [[ricin]] called [[abrin]]. It is a [[dimer]] consisting of two [[protein]] [[Protein subunit|subunit]]s, termed A and B. The B chain facilitates abrin's entry into a cell by bonding to certain [[transport protein]]s on [[cell membrane]]s, which then transport the toxin into the cell. Once inside the cell, the A chain prevents [[protein synthesis]] by inactivating the 26S subunit of the [[ribosome]]. One molecule of abrin will inactivate up to 1,500 [[ribosome]]s per second. Symptoms are identical to those of ricin, except [[abrin]] is more toxic by several orders of magnitude; the fatal dose of ricin is approximately 75 times greater than the fatal dose of abrin. Abrin can kill with a circulating amount of less than 3 μg ([[microgram]]s).
'Abrus precatorius' is called "kudri mani" in Tamil and 'Guru Ginja' in Telugu.It is used in Siddha medicine for centuries. The Tamil Siddhars knew about the toxic effects in plants and suggested various methods which is called "suththi seythal" or purification. Boiling the seeds in milk and drying may remove the toxic effect.{{Citation needed|date=April 2010}}{{Dubious|date=April 2010}}

==Uses==
The seeds of ''Abrus precatorius'' are much valued in native [[jewelry]] for their bright coloration. The third of the bean with the [[hilum]] (attachment scar) is black, and the rest is bright red, suggesting a [[ladybug]]. Jewelry-making with jequirity seeds is dangerous, and there have been cases of death by a finger-prick while boring the seeds for [[beadwork]]. However, it has long been a symbol of love in China, and its name in Chinese is ''xiang si dou'' ({{zh|c=相思豆}}), or "mutual love bean".

In Trinidad in the West Indies the brightly coloured seeds are strung into bracelets and worn around the wrist or ankle to ward off [[jumbie]]s or evil spirits and "mal-yeux" - the [[evil eye]]. A tea is made from the leaves and used to treat fevers, coughs and colds.<ref>Mendes (1986), p. 79.</ref>

The Tamils use Abrus precatorius seeds of different colors. The red variety with black eye is the most common, but there are black, white and green varieties as well. In Siddha medicine the white variety is used to prepare oil that is used as an aphrodisiac.<ref>Dr.J.Raamachandran, "HERBS OF SIDDHA MEDICINES-The First 3D Book on Herbs", page 2</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:Koeh-002.jpg|''Abrus precatorius'' from Koehler's ''Medicinal-Plants''
Image:Abrus precatorius seeds.jpg|Bright red seeds of ''A. precatorius'' are strung as jewelry
File:Abrus precatorius W IMG 1578.jpg|''Abrus precatorius'' leaves & flowers
File:Abrus precatorius W2 IMG 1578.jpg|''Abrus precatorius'' flowers
</gallery>

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
*Mendes, John (1986).'' Cote ce Cote la: Trinidad & Tobago Dictionary''. [[Arima]], Trinidad.
*[[List of plants of Caatinga vegetation of Brazil]]
*[http://www.weberseeds.de/species/abrus_precatorius.htm Abrus precatorius seed (extremeclose-up)]

==External links==
{{commons|Abrus precatorius|Jequirity}}
{{Commons category}}
{{wikispecies}}
*[http://www.cbif.gc.ca/pls/itisca/next?v_tsn=26416&taxa=Abrus+precatorius&p_ifx=&p_lang= ITIS * North America: Abrus precatorius]
*[http://www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/abrus-precatorius.shtml '''Abrus precatorius''': Plant of deadly but most beautiful seeds] at Disabled World
* [http://www.inchem.org/documents/pims/plant/abruspre.htm INCHEM - Chemical Safety Information from Intergovernmental Organizations: Abrus precatorius L.]

[[Category:Faboideae]]
[[Category:Flora of Brazil]]
[[Category:Poisonous plants]]
[[Category:Medicinal plants]]
[[Category:Invasive plant species]]
[[Category:Flora of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Flora of India]]
[[Category:Naturalized flora of Alabama]]

[[ar:عين العفريت]]
[[cs:Sotorek obecný]]
[[de:Paternostererbse]]
[[es:Abrus precatorius]]
[[fr:Abrus precatorius]]
[[ko:홍두]]
[[id:Saga rambat]]
[[it:Abrus precatorius]]
[[ht:Lyann legliz]]
[[lt:Vaistinis abras]]
[[ml:കുന്നി]]
[[mr:गुंज]]
[[ms:Pokok saga]]
[[nl:Paternosterboontje]]
[[pt:Ervilha do Rosário]]
[[ro:Abrus precatorius]]
[[ru:Абрус молитвенный]]
[[ta:குன்றிச் செடி]]
[[te:గురివింద]]
[[th:มะกล่ำตาหนู]]
[[to:Moho]]
[[vi:Cam thảo dây]]
[[zh:雞母珠]]
[[Category:2Fix]]