Antitoxin


 
 
Concept Explanation
 

Antitoxin

  • The terms "Toxin" and 'Antitoxin" : -
  • Toxin is a general term used for any poisonous substance produced by an animal or a plant or a bacterium. Example : Snake venom, sting poisons of scorpion, insects, etc., or even poisonous chemicals released by pathogens growing inside the body.
  • "Antitoxin" was the name given to any chemical substance produced inside the body in response to the entry of foreign poisonous substance. 
  • "Antivenins" for snake bites are produced inside animals like horses. Presently, the more general term "antibody" is used instead of "antitoxin".
  • Suppose, someone has actually got a disease such as diphtheria, in such a case, injecting pre-prepared antibodies from some other source is helpful. For this, an antibody containing serum is obtained from the blood of horse, rabbits, etc., in which the disease such antibodies is called passive immunisation. Haffkine's. Institute in Bombay and another institute at Kasuli are preparing several such anti-sera.
  • Antivenine for treating snake-bite is also based on the same principle.
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