title: Circulating toxins in human disease: a viable concept?
abstract: Many clinical and biological effects have been attributed to the presence of mediators in the general circulation of patients after injury, a major operation, or the onset of certain diseases. Often, the term toxin is applied in an attempt to describe these circulating mediators. In the discussion that follows, cutaneous burn toxin is cited as an example and an opinion is ventured concerning the continued acceptance of both the term toxin and the toxic concept in modern medicine.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002056:Burns / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D011817:Rabbits; D014118:Toxins, Biological / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014118:Toxins, Biological