hypnotoxin

Definitions

1. A hypothetical waste product of the brain proposed by Henri Piéron that causes fatigue and is cleansed by sleep.
2. A venom found in the nematocysts of some cnidarians that acts as a central nervous system depressant leading to inactivity, numbness, paralysis, and coma.

Equivalents

Examples

“Yet, because of its apparent common sense⟳, the hypnotoxin idea remained attractive until Dr. Kleitman's studies of the temperature cycle.”

“Legendre and Piéron ( 2402-13 ), having obtained what they called "hypnotoxin" ( p. 203 ) from animals kept awake⟳ for a long time, did not attribute the onset of sleep⟳ to the direct⟳ action of hypnotoxin but to an inhibition of the CNS, the hypnotoxin thus acting as an accessory influence⟳”

“This suggested that either there were other influences that held the effects of hypnotoxin at bay in the morning or the steady buildup of hypnotoxin could not completely explain⟳ the waxing and waning nature of sleepiness.”

“The problem was that nobody could isolate the exact chemical that caused the sleep⟳, the mysterious hypnotoxin.”

“On the other hand, the evidence that there is present⟳ in nettles another poison, the hypnotoxin, responsible for the paralysis of punctured animals, seems well grounded.”

“According to Portier and Richet, hypnotoxin is believed to be a heat-sensitive, nondialyzable toxin with protein properties.”

“The capsule is full of a poisonous fluid, the hypnotoxin which contains proteins and about 75% as virulent as cobra venom.”

“Nematocysts or stinging cells are specialised organelles which act for defence and offence of Hydra. Each nematocyst is filled with a poisonous fluid called hypnotoxin. Hypnotoxin is a chemical combination of phenols and proteins.”

CEFR level