noun
- Toxic substances produced by an organism that are harmful to that same organism; self-produced poisons.
Usage: plural form; technical/scientific term; used in biology and medicine
Examples
- The plant accumulated autotoxins in its roots that inhibited its own growth.
- Researchers studied how autotoxins affect the health of microorganisms in closed environments.
- Some bacteria produce autotoxins as a byproduct of their metabolism.
- The buildup of autotoxins in the tissue led to cellular damage.
- Scientists are investigating whether autotoxins play a role in the disease progression.