The results of a high-throughput screen of thousands of chemicals in search of agents that could protect cells, and finally people, against the deadly ricin poison has turned up two contenders. Even better, the compounds also render cells immune to the effects of Shiga-like toxins that are produced by ptomaine poisoning strains of E. coli bug among other pathogens, suggesting they may be useful against other threats to public health and in fact any toxin that takes the same route to enter cells. The findings are reported in the April 16th issue of the journal Cell, a Cell Press publication...

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