Antitoxins,

Antiseptics, and
Disinfectants
By Vineet,Yashas and Ojaswin
Index

1. Antitoxins(or Antibodies)
a. Toxins
b. Antibodies
2. Antiseptics
3. Disinfectants
Antitoxins(or more accurately
antibodies)

Toxins:
Toxins are any poisonous substance produced within living cells or organisms. The term
"biotoxin" is sometimes used to explicitly confirm the biological origin. Biotoxins can be
further classified, for example, as fungal biotoxins, microbial biotoxins, plant biotoxins, or
animal biotoxins.
Antitoxins(or more accurately
antibodies)

Antitoxins are any chemical substance that neutralises the threat of a toxin. Antivenoms, also
known as antivenin, venom antiserum and antivenom immunoglobulin, are a medicine made
from antibodies which is used to treat certain venomous bites and stings. They are created to
neutralise venom from snake bites and are produced from animals like horses because
humans don’t naturally have them. Antibody is the term for a blood serum protein produced
in response to injected antigens. Antigens are toxin or other foreign substance which induces
an immune response in the body, especially the production of antibodies.
 Antiseptics
Antiseptics are generally distinguished from antibiotics by the latter's ability to be transported through the
lymphatic system to destroy bacteria within the body, and from disinfectants, which destroy microorganisms
found on non-living objects.

These are mild chemical substances which, when applied on the body, kill germs. These substances
are in such mild concentration that they cause no harm to the skin and body. Lysol, carbolic acid,
iodine, benzoic acid, mercurochrome, boric acid in dilute solutions are good antispetics. Certain anti
body creams also serve the main purpose.
 Disinfectants

Disinfectants are strong chemical substances that are applied on spots and places where germs thrive
and multiply. Commonly used disinfectants are cresol, phenol, lysol, 40%formalin, lime, bordeaux
mixture, DDT, etc.

Precautions: All infectants are strong and should not come in human contact with the human skin.
Strong heating or boiling also destroys germs and maybe called physical disinfectants. Deodorants are
neither antiseptics or disinfectants. They only serve to mask a bad smell.
 Differences between antiseptics and
disinfectants

Antispects: Disinfectants

1. Mild germ killing chemicals 1. Strong germ killing substances

2. Cause no harm to skin 2. May cause harm to skin and body
3. Applied on body 3. Applied on spots

Ex: Iodine Ex: Phenol

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