A toxin, in a scientific context, is a biologically produced substance that causes injury to the health of a organism on contact or absorption, typically by interacting with biological macromolecules such as enzymes and receptors. Toxicity may be acute (as in a bee sting), chronic (as in the Guam cycad toxin), or both. In the context of complementary medicine the term is often used as a broader category of any harmful substance claimed to cause ill health, though mainstream scientists argue that the nature of such substances is usually unproven. Many publishers of non-technical material, such as the BBC, also follow this usage to refer to toxic substances in general, though some such as The Guardian maintain the distinction that toxins are only those produced by living organisms. Many plants, animals and microorganisms generate Food poisoning#Natural toxins to discourage or kill predators. Animal toxins that are delivered subcutaneously (e.g. by sting (biology) or bite) are also called ''venom''. In normal usage, a poisonous organism is one that is harmful to consume, but a venomous organism uses poison to defend itself while still alive. A single organism can be both venomous and poisonous. When toxins are generated by bacteria, they are called toxoids. The toxins may be produced either in the living body during infection (for instance, by tetanus) or by bacteria in dead biological material. Food poisoning#Exotoxins are secreted externally by the bacteria; Endotoxin forms part of the cell wall. Food poisoning is a term for the broad range of illnesses that can result from eating food that is spoiled or tainted by bacterial toxins, such as Endotoxin, botulin toxin, and the so-called Shiga-like toxin cellular secretion by the emergent E. coli strain E. coli O157:H7. Naturally occurring or human-modified toxins may be intentionally released by humans in chemical warfare. A substance is considered toxic if it contains poison or induces poisoning. The word "toxic" comes from toxikon, which meant "poison arrow" in ancient Greek. ==External links== *[http://www.toxicology.org Society of Toxicology] * [http://plantnet.rbgsyd.gov.au/PlantNet/cycad/toxic.html Cycad toxicity] *[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/mid/3719412.stm Toxins study 'shocks' family] BBC News Online, 8 October, 2004 *[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4605847.stm Toxins may pass down generations] BBC News Online, 3 June, 2005 *[http://www.healthwatch-uk.org/hw51.html#detox Evidence: Detox diets: do they work?] comment on complementary usage of term, [http://www.healthwatch-uk.org/hw51.html HealthWatch] Newsletter no 51: October 2003. *[http://www.guardian.co.uk/corrections/story/0,,1495281,00.html Corrections and clarifications], The Guardian, 30 May, 2005. toxicology
Should this page be merged with poison? If not, I feel the distinction between a toxin and poison should be made clearer. -- User:FirstPrinciples 13:57, Dec 12, 2004 (UTC) Most of that information should be moved elsewhere. As far as I'm concerned, a toxin is a compound produced by an organism which causes harm or injury. (some dictionaries list it as a specific product of metabolism and capable of inducing antibodies -- anyone know more about this?) There is no need for it kill quickly, efficiently or at all to qualify. Botulism is fatal in 15% of the cases and many people survive bee stings. The part about water/dietary minerals being toxic isn't relevant here. Not everything that's toxic is a toxin. Is anyone familiar with bacterial toxins? Are they actually produced with the purpose of self-defense as opposed to just being present in the structural components or a by-product of its metabolism? I don't see toxin being more than a stub unless information from (biological) poisons is merged, along with venum, endotoxin, enterotoxin and exotoxin. --User:Jag123 16:51, 12 Dec 2004 (UTC) Agreed: I've edited it accordingly to focus on "toxin" alone. User:Raygirvan Apr 18 2005 ---- The *ahem* venom in the sentence on complementary medicine was way out of line with NPOV. People doing complementary medicine use a different definition of the word. Fine. You should be able to read this article without thinking that it's a scathing, non-specific attack on complementary medicine. User:DanKeshet 06:35, Jun 5, 2005 (UTC) :OK, so don't delete it - rephrase it in a way that you see as NPOV, but without blunting the specific detail that it's not merely a different usage, but one that mainstream science considers utter BS. The different usage is a matter of observation, and it's also a matter of observation that scientists have criticised it, both on grounds of it being a misnomer and the nature of such toxins being generally unproven. User:Raygirvan 10:49, 5 Jun 2005 (UTC) ::The current version is much better than the old version I edited from. But when it says "mainstream scientists argue that the nature of such substances is usually unproven", that's pretty much useless. If someone wants to call mercury a "toxin", no mainstream scientist is going to argue it isn't deleterious to health, they might just say you have your terminology wrong. The current statement is just so broad it could apply to anything. User:DanKeshet 17:51, Jun 5, 2005 (UTC)
See other meanings of words starting from letter:
Words begining with Toxin:
Toxin
Toxin
Toxin(comics)
Toxins
Toxin_(comics)
Toxin
A toxin, in a scientific context, is a biologically produced substance that causes injury to the health of a organism on contact or absorption, typically by interacting with biological macromolecules such as enzymes and receptors. Toxicity may be acute (as in a bee sting), chronic (as in the Guam cycad toxin), or both. In the context of complementary medicine the term is often used as a broader category of any harmful substance claimed to cause ill health, though mainstream scientists argue that the nature of such substances is usually unproven. Many publishers of non-technical material, such as the BBC, also follow this usage to refer to toxic substances in general, though some such as The Guardian maintain the distinction that toxins are only those produced by living organisms. Many plants, animals and microorganisms generate Food poisoning#Natural toxins to discourage or kill predators. Animal toxins that are delivered subcutaneously (e.g. by sting (biology) or bite) are also called ''venom''. In normal usage, a poisonous organism is one that is harmful to consume, but a venomous organism uses poison to defend itself while still alive. A single organism can be both venomous and poisonous. When toxins are generated by bacteria, they are called toxoids. The toxins may be produced either in the living body during infection (for instance, by tetanus) or by bacteria in dead biological material. Food poisoning#Exotoxins are secreted externally by the bacteria; Endotoxin forms part of the cell wall. Food poisoning is a term for the broad range of illnesses that can result from eating food that is spoiled or tainted by bacterial toxins, such as Endotoxin, botulin toxin, and the so-called Shiga-like toxin cellular secretion by the emergent E. coli strain E. coli O157:H7. Naturally occurring or human-modified toxins may be intentionally released by humans in chemical warfare. A substance is considered toxic if it contains poison or induces poisoning. The word "toxic" comes from toxikon, which meant "poison arrow" in ancient Greek. ==External links== *[http://www.toxicology.org Society of Toxicology] * [http://plantnet.rbgsyd.gov.au/PlantNet/cycad/toxic.html Cycad toxicity] *[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/mid/3719412.stm Toxins study 'shocks' family] BBC News Online, 8 October, 2004 *[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4605847.stm Toxins may pass down generations] BBC News Online, 3 June, 2005 *[http://www.healthwatch-uk.org/hw51.html#detox Evidence: Detox diets: do they work?] comment on complementary usage of term, [http://www.healthwatch-uk.org/hw51.html HealthWatch] Newsletter no 51: October 2003. *[http://www.guardian.co.uk/corrections/story/0,,1495281,00.html Corrections and clarifications], The Guardian, 30 May, 2005. toxicology
Toxin
Should this page be merged with poison? If not, I feel the distinction between a toxin and poison should be made clearer. -- User:FirstPrinciples 13:57, Dec 12, 2004 (UTC) Most of that information should be moved elsewhere. As far as I'm concerned, a toxin is a compound produced by an organism which causes harm or injury. (some dictionaries list it as a specific product of metabolism and capable of inducing antibodies -- anyone know more about this?) There is no need for it kill quickly, efficiently or at all to qualify. Botulism is fatal in 15% of the cases and many people survive bee stings. The part about water/dietary minerals being toxic isn't relevant here. Not everything that's toxic is a toxin. Is anyone familiar with bacterial toxins? Are they actually produced with the purpose of self-defense as opposed to just being present in the structural components or a by-product of its metabolism? I don't see toxin being more than a stub unless information from (biological) poisons is merged, along with venum, endotoxin, enterotoxin and exotoxin. --User:Jag123 16:51, 12 Dec 2004 (UTC) Agreed: I've edited it accordingly to focus on "toxin" alone. User:Raygirvan Apr 18 2005 ---- The *ahem* venom in the sentence on complementary medicine was way out of line with NPOV. People doing complementary medicine use a different definition of the word. Fine. You should be able to read this article without thinking that it's a scathing, non-specific attack on complementary medicine. User:DanKeshet 06:35, Jun 5, 2005 (UTC) :OK, so don't delete it - rephrase it in a way that you see as NPOV, but without blunting the specific detail that it's not merely a different usage, but one that mainstream science considers utter BS. The different usage is a matter of observation, and it's also a matter of observation that scientists have criticised it, both on grounds of it being a misnomer and the nature of such toxins being generally unproven. User:Raygirvan 10:49, 5 Jun 2005 (UTC) ::The current version is much better than the old version I edited from. But when it says "mainstream scientists argue that the nature of such substances is usually unproven", that's pretty much useless. If someone wants to call mercury a "toxin", no mainstream scientist is going to argue it isn't deleterious to health, they might just say you have your terminology wrong. The current statement is just so broad it could apply to anything. User:DanKeshet 17:51, Jun 5, 2005 (UTC)
See other meanings of words starting from letter:
T
TA | TB | TC | TD | TE | TF | TG | TH | TI | TJ | TK | TL | TŁ | TM | TN | TO | TP | TR | TS | TU | TW | TX | TY | TZ |Words begining with Toxin:
Toxin
Toxin
Toxin(comics)
Toxins
Toxin_(comics)
These materials are based on Wikipedia and licensed under the GNU FDL
YouTube.com videos better site than Turbo Tax 2007
