TOXIN Meaning and
Definition
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Toxin is a noun that refers to a poisonous substance that is produced biologically by living organisms, such as bacteria, fungi, plants, or animals. These substances can cause harm or disease when they enter the body, even in small amounts. The term "toxin" is generally used to describe chemicals that are considered harmful to humans or other organisms.
Toxins can have various mechanisms of action, and their effects may be localized or systemic, depending on the specific toxin and its mode of entry into the body. Some toxins, like neurotoxins, directly target the nervous system, causing impairment of nerve cells and resulting in paralysis, convulsions, or other neurological symptoms. Other toxins may primarily affect specific organs or organ systems, such as liver toxins or kidney toxins, leading to organ damage or dysfunction.
It is important to note that the term "toxin" is often used interchangeably with the term "poison," although poisons can also refer to non-biological substances. Toxins can be found in various sources, including certain foods, plants, animals, and even manufactured materials. Proper identification and understanding of different toxins are crucial for public health, as they may inform prevention strategies, diagnosis, and treatment of toxin-related illnesses or poisonings.
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A poisonous substance of undetermined chemical nature, elaborated during the growth of pathogenic microorganisms.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for TOXIN
Etymology of TOXIN
The word "toxin" originated in the late 19th century, specifically in 1886. It is derived from the Latin term "toxicum", which refers to poison. The Latin word itself has its roots in the Greek word "toxikon", which is a noun form of "toxikos". "Toxikos" is derived from the Greek word "toxon", meaning "bow" or "arrow". This association is due to the fact that poisons were often applied to arrows for use in hunting or warfare. Over time, "toxin" came to represent any harmful or poisonous substance produced by organisms.
Similar spelling words for TOXIN
- TXN,
- daxin,
- toxon,
- dioxin,
- texian,
- texan,
- TEXNE,
- DCSIN,
- Toxine,
- duquesnay,
- diaxon,
- TEXIN,
- Dixon,
- duquesnoy,
- dexin,
- Texanna,
- Duquesne,
- texano,
- taxane,
- TXNA,
- DEXAN,
- dixiana,
- daxian,
- TIKZN,
- taxon,
- taksin,
- DGSNA,
- Dagswain,
- tykocin,
- dickason,
- Tigason,
- TXCN,
- daoxin,
- dockson,
- Dixion,
- toss in,
- Tecson,
- Tigazon,
- DXUNI,
- dexion,
- TXHON,
- dickison,
- dxun,
- dicksonia,
- dexone,
- taoxian,
- TKZN,
- Texana,
- WDCSN,
- token,
- docosane,
- Taxin,
- DCGSN,
- dioxan,
- TUCSIN,
- Taxine,
- tuckson,
- tocsin,
- DCSIGN,
- diaxone,
- TXON,
- toxone,
- dioxane,
- Dickson,
- Dickeson,
- toucan,
- tucson,
- Taxineae,
- dikson.
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