Canadian Medical Guide > Chemicals and Drugs > Immunologic and Biological Factors > Biological Factors > Toxins Terms and Definitions

Toxins

Medical Definition:	Specific, characterizable, poisonous chemicals, often proteins, with specific biological properties, including immunogenicity, produced by microbes, higher plants, or animals.
Guide Notes:	GEN or unspecified; prefer specifics

Toxins Categories.

	Bacterial Toxins - Toxic substances formed in or elaborated by bacteria; they are usually proteins with high molecular weight and antigenicity; some are used as antibiotics and some to skin test for the presence of or susceptibility to certain diseases.
	Cytotoxins - Substances elaborated by microorganisms, plants or animals that are specifically toxic to individual cells; they may be involved in immunity or may be contained in venoms.
	Dermotoxins - Specific substances elaborated by plants, microorganisms or animals that cause damage to the skin; they may be proteins or other specific factors or substances; constituents of spider, jellyfish or other venoms cause dermonecrosis and certain bacteria synthesize dermolytic agents.
	Endotoxins - Toxins closely associated with the living cytoplasm or cell wall of certain microorganisms, which do not readily diffuse into the culture medium, but are released upon lysis of the cells.
	Enterotoxins - Substances that are toxic to the intestinal tract causing vomiting, diarrhea, etc.; most common enterotoxins are produced by bacteria.
	Exotoxins - Toxins produced, especially by bacterial or fungal cells, and released into the culture medium or environment.
	Immunotoxins - Semisynthetic conjugates of various toxic molecules, including radioactive isotopes and bacterial or plant toxins, with specific immune substances such as immunoglobulins, monoclonal antibodies, and antigens. The antitumor or antiviral immune substance carries the toxin to the tumor or infected cell where the toxin exerts its poisonous effect.
	Marine Toxins - Toxic or poisonous substances elaborated by marine flora or fauna. They include also specific, characterized poisons or toxins for which there is no more specific heading, like those from poisonous fishes. Clupeotoxin, pahutoxin, prymnesin, scombrotoxin go here.
	Mycotoxins - Toxic compounds produced by fungi (mushrooms).
	Neurotoxins - Toxic substances from microorganisms, plants or animals that interfere with the functions of the nervous system. Most venoms contain neurotoxic substances. Myotoxins are included in this concept.

Toxins Medical Definitions and Terms

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