Toxin

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.

They vary greatly in their toxicity, ranging from usually minor (such as a bee sting) to potentially fatal even at extremely low doses (such as botulinum toxin).

The term toxungen has also been proposed to refer to toxins that are delivered onto the body surface of another organism without an accompanying wound.

[21] Biotoxins vary greatly in purpose and mechanism, and can be highly complex (the venom of the cone snail can contain over 100 unique peptides, which target specific nerve channels or receptors).

[24] Due to these factors, it is vital to raise awareness of the clinical symptoms of biotoxin poisoning, and to develop effective countermeasures including rapid investigation, response, and treatment.

[19][25][24] The term "environmental toxin" can sometimes explicitly include synthetic contaminants[26] such as industrial pollutants and other artificially made toxic substances.

[40] The Toxicology and Environmental Health Information Program (TEHIP)[41] at the United States National Library of Medicine (NLM) maintains a comprehensive toxicology and environmental health web site that includes access to toxins-related resources produced by TEHIP and by other government agencies and organizations.