Editing Toxin (section)

==Terminology==
Toxins are often distinguished from other chemical agents strictly based on their biological origin.<ref>{{cite journal|title= Are Some Fungal Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) Mycotoxins?|first1= Joan W |last1= Bennett|first2= Arati A |last2=Inamdar |journal= Toxins |location= Basel |year= 2015 |volume= 7|issue= 9 | pages= 3785–3804 | doi=10.3390/toxins7093785 |doi-access=free |pmid= 26402705 |pmc= 4591661 }}</ref>

Less strict understandings embrace naturally occurring [[inorganic]] toxins, such as [[arsenic]].<ref>{{cite web |title= Arsenic in Food: FAQ |first1=Brenda |last1=Goodman |url= https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/arsenic-food-faq | work = WebMD | access-date=20 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url= https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2012/11/arsenic-in-your-food/index.htm |title=Arsenic in your food - Our findings show a real need for federal standards for this toxin |work= [[Consumer Reports]]| year=2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title= Keeping arsenic out of rice |first= Carolyn |last= Beans |journal= Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences |year= 2021 |volume= 118 |issue= 33 |doi= 10.1073/pnas.2113071118|pmid= 34380741 |pmc= 8379988 |bibcode= 2021PNAS..11813071B |s2cid= 236989837 |doi-access= free }}</ref> Other understandings embrace synthetic analogs of naturally occurring organic poisons as toxins,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/178 |title=U.S. Code |access-date=20 May 2022|quote=the term "toxin" means the toxic material or product of plants, animals, microorganisms ...or a recombinant or synthesized molecule...}}</ref> and may<ref>{{cite web | title=Module 1: Introduction to Toxicology |work=Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry |url = https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/es/training/toxicology_curriculum/modules/1/module-1.pdf|access-date=20 May 2022| quote= arsenic, a toxic metal, may occur as a natural contaminant ... or ... as a by-product of industrial activities. If the second case is true, such toxic substances are referred to as toxicants, rather than toxins.}}</ref> or may not<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.icrc.org/en/doc/resources/documents/article/other/57jnpa.htm | title = The Biological Weapons Convention – An overview | date = 30 June 1997|access-date=20 May 2022 | first=Jozef | last=Goldblat | quote="The Convention applies to all natural or artificially created toxins, "whatever their origin or method of production" (Article I). It thus covers toxins produced biologically, as well as those produced by chemical synthesis"}}</ref> embrace naturally occurring [[inorganic]] poisons. It is important to confirm usage if a common understanding is critical.

Toxins are a subset of [[toxicant]]s. The term toxicant is preferred when the poison is [[xenobiotic|man-made]] and therefore artificial.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://askanydifference.com/difference-between-toxin-and-toxicant | title = Difference Between Toxin and Toxicant (With Table)| date = 31 October 2021}}</ref> The human and scientific genetic assembly of a natural-based toxin should be considered a toxin as it is identical to its natural counterpart.<ref>{{cite journal | title=Genetic assembly and selective toxicity of diphtheria-toxin-related polypeptide hormone fusion proteins | year = 1987| pmid = 2847744| url = https://europepmc.org/article/med/2847744| last1 = Murphy| first1 = J. R.| last2 = Bishai| first2 = W.| last3 = Williams| first3 = D.| last4 = Bacha| first4 = P.| last5 = Borowski| first5 = M.| last6 = Parker| first6 = K.| last7 = Boyd| first7 = J.| last8 = Waters| first8 = C.| last9 = Strom| first9 = T. B.| journal = Biochemical Society Symposium| volume = 53| pages = 9–23}}</ref>  The debate is one of [[Semantics|linguistic semantics]].

The word toxin does not specify method of delivery (as opposed to [[venom]], a toxin delivered via a bite, sting, etc.). [[Poison]] is a related but broader term that encompasses both toxins and toxicants; poisons may enter the body through any means - typically [[inhalation]], [[ingestion]], or [[Absorption (skin)|skin absorption]]. Toxin, toxicant, and poison are often used interchangeably despite these subtle differences in definition. 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]].<ref name="10.1111/brv.12062">{{cite journal | doi=10.1111/brv.12062 | title=Poisons, toxungens, and venoms: Redefining and classifying toxic biological secretions and the organisms that employ them | year=2014 | last1=Nelsen | first1=David R. | last2=Nisani | first2=Zia | last3=Cooper | first3=Allen M. | last4=Fox | first4=Gerad A. | last5=Gren | first5=Eric C. K. | last6=Corbit | first6=Aaron G. | last7=Hayes | first7=William K. | journal=Biological Reviews | volume=89 | issue=2 | pages=450–465 | pmid=24102715 | s2cid=207101679 }}</ref>

A rather informal terminology of individual toxins relates them to the anatomical location where their effects are most notable:
* [[Genitotoxin]], damages the [[Urinary system|urinary organs]] or the reproductive organs
* [[Hemotoxin]], causes destruction of [[red blood cells]] ([[hemolysis]])
* [[Phototoxin]], causes dangerous photosensitivity
* [[Hepatotoxin]]s affect the [[liver]]
* [[Neurotoxin]]s affect the [[nervous system]]

On a broader scale, toxins may be classified as either [[exotoxin]]s, excreted by an organism, or [[endotoxin]]s, which are released mainly when bacteria are [[lysis|lysed]].