A dermatotoxin or dermatoxin (from ''derma'', the
Greek word for skin) is a
toxic
Toxicity is the degree to which a chemical substance or a particular mixture of substances can damage an organism. Toxicity can refer to the effect on a whole organism, such as an animal, bacterium, or plant, as well as the effect on a subst ...
chemical that damages
skin
Skin is the layer of usually soft, flexible outer tissue covering the body of a vertebrate animal, with three main functions: protection, regulation, and sensation.
Other animal coverings, such as the arthropod exoskeleton, have different ...
,
mucous membrane
A mucous membrane or mucosa is a membrane that lines various cavities in the body of an organism and covers the surface of internal organs. It consists of one or more layers of epithelial cells overlying a layer of loose connective tissue. It ...
s, or both, often leading to tissue
necrosis. These can come in the form of natural and synthetic chemicals and can be found in drugs.
These chemicals have been found in cosmetics, lotions, drugs and some chemical weapons. Many dermatoxins are also considered vesicants, or blister agents, meaning they are irritating enough to the skin when applied to cause it to blister. Additionally, many of the effects of these toxins are activated by light.
Both terms, "dermatotoxin" and "dermatoxin" are considered grammatically correct names for these substances.
Toxicology
The severity of the effects of a dermatoxic agent is strongly dependent on the dose, route of exposure, rate at which it spreads, and the overall health of the afflicted individual. However, prolonged contact can cause tissue necrosis or
allergic contact dermatitis, which can lead to
skin cancer
Skin cancers are cancers that arise from the Human skin, skin. They are due to the development of abnormal cells (biology), cells that have the ability to invade or metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. It occurs when skin cells grow ...
,
chemical burns,
irritant dermatitis,
photodermatitis,
phototoxicity, changes to pigmentation, and
urticaria, or hives.
Examples of dermatoxic substances
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T-2 toxin
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Sterigmatocystin
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Sulfur mustard
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Psoralen
Psoralen (also called psoralene) is the parent compound in a family of naturally occurring organic compounds known as the linear furanocoumarins. It is structurally related to coumarin by the addition of a fused furan ring, and may be considered a ...
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Cantharidin
Uses of dermatoxic substances
Dermatotoxins have been used for several different substances, many of which are or have in the past been tied to cosmetics and similar industries. While there are many kinds of dermatoxins, used in a variety of chemical compounds, the below are a few examples.
One of the most well-known dermatoxic substances is sulfur mustard, or mustard gas, which has been known to cause damage to the skin, eyes, and lungs, which can escalate to blinding the victims. It is considered a blister agent, and has been known to be a carcinogenic substance.
It has historically been used in warfare multiple times, beginning in World War I.
Psoralen is another dermatoxic substance, which is known to be photocarcinogenic, meaning it increases the risk of cancer when exposed to light. It could be found as an ingredient in tanning lotions until 1996, when it was discovered that it was a potential cause for an increase in melanoma rates and its use was subsequently banned by the European Commission.
Cantharidin, another known dermatoxin, is an ingredient used to treat some skin conditions, such as molluscum contagiosum, a kind of wart. However, it has been documented to have side effects, such as pain, blistering, itching, scabs, redness or other discoloration, dryness, edema or swelling, and general damage to the skin when it is applied topically.
See also
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Vesicant
References
External links
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Dermatoxins
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