Genetics

Are environmental toxins reducing men's fertility?

In a study that signals potential reproductive and health complications in humans, now and for future generations, researchers from McGill University, the University of Pretoria, Université Laval, Aarhus University, and ...

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

Neurotoxin BMAA found in dust from Great Salt Lake

In a startling discovery, researchers have identified a chronic neurotoxin known as BMAA in dust particles from the Great Salt Lake's dried lakebed. This toxin, linked to neurodegenerative illnesses, has become a significant ...

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

Botulinum toxin may be beneficial for isolated, essential head tremor

For patients with isolated or essential head tremor, injection of botulinum toxin into each splenius capitis muscle on day 0 and during week 12 is more effective than placebo for reducing tremor severity, according to a study ...

page 1 from 34

Toxin

A toxin (Greek: τοξικόν, toxikon) is a poisonous substance produced by living cells or organisms. (Although technically man is a living organism, man-made substances created by artificial processes usually aren't considered toxins by this definition.)

For a toxic substance not produced by living organisms, "toxicant" is the more appropriate term, and "toxics" is an acceptable plural.

Toxins can be small molecules, peptides, or proteins that are capable of causing disease on contact with or absorption by body tissues 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).

This text uses material from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA