toxinmimicking
Toxinmimicking describes the phenomenon by which molecules imitate the actions or targets of toxins. It encompasses natural toxins that resemble endogenous ligands or signaling molecules, as well as synthetic or semisynthetic compounds designed to reproduce toxic effects for research, pharmacology, or therapy. The concept is used in toxicology and biochemistry to describe interactions where a molecule binds to a receptor, enzyme, or ion channel in a way that reproduces a toxin's effect.
Mechanisms include receptor competition or modulation—mimetics may act as agonists or antagonists and alter signaling; enzymatic
Examples include natural venom components that target neural or muscular systems and synthetic mimics used to