Bufotoxins are a family of toxic

steroid A steroid is a biologically active organic compound with four rings arranged in a specific molecular configuration. Steroids have two principal biological functions: as important components of cell membranes that alter membrane fluidity; and a ...

lactones or substituted tryptamines of which some may or may not be toxic. They occur in the parotoid glands, skin, and poison of many toads ( genus '' Bufo'') and other amphibians, and in some plants and mushrooms. The exact composition varies greatly with the specific source of the toxin. It can contain

5-MeO-DMT 5-MeO-DMT (5-methoxy-''N'',''N''-dimethyltryptamine) or O-methyl-bufotenin is a psychedelic of the tryptamine class. It is found in a wide variety of plant species, and also is secreted by the glands of at least one toad species, the Colorado Ri ...

bufagin Bufagin is a toxic steroid C24H34O5 obtained from toad's milk, the poisonous secretion of a skin gland on the back of the neck of a large toad (''Rhinella marina'', synonym ''Bufo marinus'', the cane toad). The toad produces this secretion when it ...

bufalin Bufalin is a cardiotonic steroid toxin originally isolated from Chinese toad venom, which is a component of some traditional Chinese medicines. Research Bufalin has ''in vitro'' antitumor effects against various malignant cell lines, including h ...

bufotalin Bufotalin is a cardiotoxic bufanolide steroid, cardiac glycoside analogue, secreted by a number of toad species. Bufotalin can be extracted from the skin parotoid glands of several types of toad. Sources ''Rhinella marina'' (Cane toad), ''Rhaebo ...

, bufotenin, bufothionine, dehydrobufotenine,

epinephrine Adrenaline, also known as epinephrine, is a hormone and medication which is involved in regulating visceral functions (e.g., respiration). It appears as a white microcrystalline granule. Adrenaline is normally produced by the adrenal glands and ...

, norepinephrine, and

serotonin Serotonin () or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) is a monoamine neurotransmitter. Its biological function is complex and multifaceted, modulating mood, cognition, reward, learning, memory, and numerous physiological processes such as vomiting and vas ...

. Some authors have also used the term ''bufotoxin'' to describe the conjugate of a

with suberylarginine. The toxic substances found in toads can be divided by chemical structure in two groups: #

bufadienolide Bufadienolide is a chemical compound with steroid structure. Its derivatives are collectively known as bufadienolides, including many in the form of bufadienolide glycosides (bufadienolides that contain structural groups derived from sugars). These ...

s, which are cardiac glycosides (e.g.,

, bufogenin) # tryptamine-related substances (e.g., bufotenin) Toads known to secrete bufotoxin include the following: *''

Bufo alvarius The Colorado River toad (''Incilius alvarius''), formerly known as the Sonoran Desert toad, is found in northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. It exudes toxins from glands within its skin that have psychoactive properties. Descri ...

'' *''

Bufo americanus The American toad (''Anaxyrus americanus'') is a common species of toad found throughout Canada and the eastern United States. It is divided into three subspecies: the eastern American toad (''A. a. americanus''), the dwarf American toad (''A. a ...

'' *''

Bufo arenarum ''Rhinella arenarum'' is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae that is found in southern Brazil and Uruguay; can also occur in Paraguay. It is also found in Argentina from the Chubut Province northward, Bolivia , image_flag ...

'' *''

Bufo asper The Asian giant toad (''Phrynoidis asper''), sometimes referred to as the river toad, is a species of true toad native to Mainland Southeast Asia and the Greater Sundas. It is a medium-large toad, but it is easily confused with its larger relativ ...

'' *''

Bufo blombergi Blomberg's toad (''Rhaebo blombergi''), also known as the Colombian giant toad, is a very large species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is found in rainforests at altitudes between in western Colombia ( Chocó, Valle del Cauca, Cauca, and ...

'' *''

Bufo boreas The western toad (''Anaxyrus boreas'') is a large toad species, between long, native to western North America. ''A. boreas'' is frequently encountered during the wet season on roads, or near water at other times. It can jump a considerable distan ...

'' *'' Bufo bufo'' *'' Bufo bufo gargarizans'' *''

Sclerophrys gutturalis The African common toad or guttural toad (''Sclerophrys gutturalis'') is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Réunion ...

'' (syn. ''Bufo gutturalis'') *''

Bufo formosus ''Bufo'' is a genus of true toads in the amphibian family Bufonidae. As traditionally defined, it was a wastebasket genus containing a large number of toads from much of the world, but following taxonomic reviews most of these have been moved ...

'' *''

Bufo fowleri Fowler's toad (''Anaxyrus fowleri'') is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. The species is native to North America, where it occurs in much of the eastern United States and parts of adjacent Canada. It was previously considered a subspec ...

'' *'' Rhinella marina'' (formerly ''Bufo marinus'') *''

Bufo melanostictus ''Duttaphrynus melanostictus'' is commonly called Asian common toad, Asian black-spined toad, Asian toad, black-spectacled toad, common Sunda toad, and Javanese toad. It is probably a complex of more than one true toad species that is widely ...

'' *'' Bufo peltocephalus'' *''

Bufo quercicus The oak toad (''Anaxyrus quercicus'') is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is endemic to the coastal regions of southeastern United States.

'' *''

Bufo regularis ''Sclerophrys regularis'', commonly known as the African common toad, square-marked toad, African toad, Egyptian toad, African bouncing toad (due to the bouncing motion) and Reuss's toad, is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is found ...

'' *'' Bufo valliceps'' *''

Bufo viridis The European green toad (''Bufotes viridis'') is a species of toad found in steppes, mountainous areas, semi-deserts, urban areas and other habitats in mainland Europe, ranging from far eastern France and Denmark to the Balkans and Western Russi ...

'' *''

Bufo vulgaris ''Bufo'' is a genus of true toads in the amphibian family Bufonidae. As traditionally defined, it was a wastebasket genus containing a large number of toads from much of the world, but following taxonomic reviews most of these have been moved ...

Extraction

Extract from the skin of certain Asian toads, such as ''Bufo bufo gargarizans'' and ''Bufo melanostictus'', is often found in certain Chinese folk remedies. The Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China (ChP) considers the two species valid sources of toad venom (; la, bufonis venenum), and requires the dry product to contain at least 6% of

cinobufagin Cinobufagin is a cardiotoxic bufanolide steroid secreted by the Asiatic toad ''Bufo gargarizans''. It has similar effects to digitalis and is used in traditional Chinese medicine. Isolation and purification Cinobufagin, as well as other bufadie ...

and resibufogenin combined by weight. The extract is obtained by squeezing the parotoid glands of caught, washed toads for a white venom and drying; the final dried venom is usually brown, with a chunk or flake form. entries
蟾酥 bufonis venenum
/ref>

Human poisoning

Toad‐venom poisoning is rare but can kill. It can occur when someone drinks toad soup, eats toad meat or toad eggs, or swallows live toads on a bet. It can also happen when someone deliberately takes commercial substances made with toad toxins. These go under names including "Kyushin", "Chan Su" (marketed as a painkiller, topical anesthetic or cardiac treatment), "Rockhard" and "Love Stone" (marketed as aphrodisiacs). "Chan Su" (literally "toad venom") is often adulterated with standard painkillers, such as

paracetamol Paracetamol, also known as acetaminophen, is a medication used to treat fever and mild to moderate pain. Common brand names include Tylenol and Panadol. At a standard dose, paracetamol only slightly decreases body temperature; it is inferior ...

, promethazine and diclofenac. It may be ingested or injected.

References

External links

Anaxyrus boreas boreas - Boreal Toad
californiaherps.com
Toad Toxins
erowid.com {{Toxins Vertebrate toxins