toxin

toxin, poison produced by living organisms. Toxins are classified as either exotoxins or endotoxins. Exotoxins are a diverse group of soluble proteins released into the surrounding tissue by living bacterial cells. Exotoxins have specific reaction sites in the host; e.g., tetanus and botulinum exotoxins affect nerve tissue, and streptococcal toxins attack vascular tissue. Plants and animals also produce protein toxins. Some, such as cobra venom, are enzymes that destroy substances in host tissue. Endotoxins are polysaccharide and phospholipid substances found in the cell walls of bacteria that are freed when the cells die and break up. The pathologic effects of endotoxins, similar for all bacterial sources, include fever, shock, and intestinal hemorrhage. In sufficiently low doses toxins stimulate the production of antibodies, or antitoxins, in the host, and toxins of a specific bacterial species have been injected to elicit formation of antibodies against the disease caused by the bacteria. Toxoids are protein toxins that have been heated or chemically treated to deprive them of their toxicity but not of the ability to induce the formation of antibodies. See venom.

Any substance poisonous to an organism; often restricted to poisons produced by living organisms. In addition to those from such microorganisms as bacteria (see bacterial diseases), dinoflagellates, and algae, there are toxins in fungi (mycotoxins; see aflatoxin; mushroom poisoning), higher plants (phytotoxins), and animals (zootoxins, or venoms). The plants include nightshade (see nightshade family), poison hemlock, foxglove, mistletoe, and poison ivy. Many plant toxins (e.g., pyrethrins, nicotine, rotenone) apparently protect their producers against certain animals (especially insects) or fungi. Similar defensive secretions in animals may be widely distributed or concentrated in certain tissues, often with some sort of delivery system (e.g., spines, fangs). Animals such as spiders and snakes use venoms to catch prey and often for defense. Many normally edible fishes and shellfishes become poisonous after feeding on toxic plants or algae. Seealso antidote; food poisoning.

Learn more about toxin with a free trial on Britannica.com.

A toxin (Greek: τοξικόν, toxikon, lit. (poison) for use on arrows) is a poisonous substance produced by living cells or organisms that is active at very low concentrations. Toxins can be small molecules, peptides, or proteins and are capable of causing disease on contact or absorption with body tissues by interacting with biological macromolecules such as enzymes or cellular receptors. Toxins vary greatly in their severity, ranging from usually minor and acute (as in a bee sting) to almost immediately deadly (as in botulinum toxin).

Toxins are often distinguished from other chemical agents by its method of production- the word toxin does not specify method of delivery (compare with venom and (the narrower meaning) of poison). It simply means it is a biologically produced poison. There was an ongoing dispute between NATO and the Warsaw Pact over whether to call a toxin a biological or chemical agent, in which the former opted for the latter, and vice versa.

Biotoxins vary greatly in purpose and mechanism, and can be highly complex (the venom of the cone snail contains dozens of small proteins, each targeting a specific nerve channel or receptor), or relatively small protein.

Biotoxins

Biotoxins in nature have two primary functions:

• Predation (spider, snake, scorpion, jellyfish, wasp)
• Defense (bee, poison dart frog, honeybee, wasp)

Some of the more well known types of biotoxins include:

• Cyanotoxins, produced by cyanobacteria
• Hemotoxins target and destroy red blood cells, and are transmitted through the bloodstream. Organisms that produce hemotoxins include:
• Pit vipers, such as rattlesnakes
• Necrotoxins cause necrosis (i.e., death) in the cells they encounter and destroy all types of tissue. Necrotoxins spread through the bloodstream. In humans, skin and muscle tissues are most sensitive to necrotoxins. Organisms that possess necrotoxins include:
• The brown recluse or "fiddle back" spider
• The "Puff Adder" - Bitis arietans
• Necrotizing fasciitis (the "flesh eating" bacteria)
• Neurotoxins primarily affect the nervous systems of animals. Organisms that possess neurotoxins include:
• The Black Widow and other widow spiders
• Most scorpions
• The box jellyfish
• Elapid snakes
• The Cone Snail
• Cytotoxins are toxic at the level of individual cells, either in a non-specific fashion or only in certain types of living cells:
• Ricin is a plant toxin found in the castor bean plant

Environmental toxins

Non-technical usage

When used non-technically, the term "toxin" is often applied to any toxic substances. Toxic substances not of biological origin are more properly termed poisons. Many non-technical and lifestyle journalists also follow this usage to refer to toxic substances in general, though some specialist journalists at publishers such as the BBC and The Guardian maintain the distinction that toxins are only those produced by living organisms.

In the context of alternative medicine the term is often used non-specifically to refer to any substance claimed to cause ill health, ranging anywhere from trace amounts of pesticides to common food items like refined sugar or additives like artificial sweeteners and MSG.

• Apitoxin
• Exotoxin
• Hemotoxin
• Mycotoxin
• Neurotoxin
• Phototoxin
• Cardiotoxin III
• Toxicophore
• Toxoid
• Venom
• List of fictional toxins

References

External links

• Society of Toxicology
• The Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases
• Cycad toxicity
• Corrections and clarifications, The Guardian, 30 May, 2005.
• Special Issue on "Marine Toxins"