| toxin | <pharmacology> A poison, frequently used to refer specifically to a protein produced by some higher plants, certain animals and pathogenic bacteria, which is highly toxic for other living organisms. Such substances are differentiated from the simple chemical poisons and the vegetable alkaloids by their high molecular weight and antigenicity. Origin: Gr toxikon = arrow poison, from Gr. Toxikos = of or for a bow (18 Nov 1997) |
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| toxin spectrum | A figure in the form of a spectrum used by Ehrlich to represent the neutralizing power of antitoxin in the presence of toxin, toxone, etc. (05 Mar 2000) |
| erythrogenic toxin | <protein> Toxin produced by strains of Streptococcus pyogenes responsible for scarlet fever. Three antigenic variants of the toxin are known. It is a small protein that is complexed with hyaluronic acid and can intensify the effects of other toxins such as endotoxin and streptolysin O. (18 Nov 1997) |
| extracellular toxin | <protein> Toxin released from gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria as opposed to endotoxins that form part of the cell wall. Examples are cholera, pertussis and diphtheria toxins. Usually specific and highly toxic. (18 Nov 1997) |