ABSTRACT
The term ‘natural toxin’ contains an internal inconsistency. ‘Natural’ superficially denotes health and fitness while ‘toxin’ implies harm. This simplistic approach is, however, inappropriate to describe the complex interplay between living organisms and their environment. Studies on apoptosis (programmed cell death), for example, illustrate that it is essential to the health of the whole organism that is able to remove damaged cells in a controlled manner. Cell death can, therefore, protect the organism against proliferative and uncontrolled cell growth. A toxin may exhibit a range of effects depending on a number of factors including dose, the presence of other bioactive constituents, and the susceptibility of the individual. These effects, while overtly toxic, may be beneficial therefore “toxin” could cover the range of effects.
