plant toxin

/plænt ˌtɑksən/

Other forms: plant toxins

Definitions of plant toxin

1. noun

   any substance produced by plants that is similar in its properties to extracellular bacterial toxin
   synonyms: phytotoxin

   types:

   nicotine

   an alkaloid poison that occurs in tobacco; used in medicine and as an insecticide

   strychnine

   an alkaloid plant toxin extracted chiefly from nux vomica; formerly used as a stimulant

   brucine

   a bitter alkaloid poison resembling strychnine and extracted from nux vomica

   hemlock

   poisonous drug derived from an Eurasian plant of the genus Conium

   mycotoxin

   a toxin produced by a fungus

   curare, tubocurarine

   a toxic alkaloid found in certain tropical South American trees that is a powerful relaxant for striated muscles

   aflatoxin

   a potent carcinogen from the fungus Aspergillus; can be produced and stored for use as a bioweapon

   type of:

   toxin

   a poisonous substance produced during the metabolism and growth of certain microorganisms and some higher plant and animal species