Toxicants that dissolve in lipophilic membranes and disturb their physical structure

5 Toxicants that dissolve in lipophilic membranes and disturb their physical structure 

Lipophilic substances with low reactivity may dissolve in the cell membranes and change their physical characteristics. Alcohols, petrol, aromatics, chlorinated hydrocarbons, and many other substances show this kind of toxicity. Other, quite unrelated organic solvents like toluene give very similar toxic effects. Lipophilic substances may have additional mechanisms for their toxicity. Examples are hexane, which is metabolized to 2,5-hexandion, a nerve poison, and methanol, which is very toxic to primates. 

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