Bufotoxin

Bufotoxins are a family of toxic steroid lactones found in the parotoid glands, skin and poison of many toads (genus Bufo); other amphibians; and some plants and mushrooms. The exact composition varies greatly with the specific source of the toxin. It can contain: 5-MeO-DMT, bufagins, bufalin, bufotalin, bufotenin, bufothionine, epinephrine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. The term bufotoxin can also be used specifically to describe the conjugate of a bufagin with suberylargine.

The toxic substances found in toads can be divided by chemical structure in two groups:

Toads known to secrete bufotoxin are:

Extract from the skin of certain Asian toads, such as Bufo bufo gargarizans, is often found in certain Chinese folk remedies.