About TOXNET

• What years do TOXLINE and DART cover?
  TOXLINE and DART citations cover 1965 to the present. You may also find a few citations dating back to the 1940's.
• How often are the databases updated?
  We update the TOXNET databases when new information becomes available. We check for new data at least once a week. You can refer to the TOXNET Databases Size Report to see if we've updated a specific database. Please note that some databases are no longer updated and are maintained as historical resources.
• Where can I get training in searching TOXNET?
  Visit TOXNET and Beyond Training Class Schedule and Workbook for a class schedule and to download the TOXNET manual.
• Can I use TOXNET on my mobile device?
  Yes, you can use TOXNET for mobile devices.
• Does TOXNET include information on prescription and nonprescription drugs?

  Many of the TOXNET databases have information on prescription and nonprescription drugs. There are two starting points that can help you locate the best resource for you.

  • ChemIDplus links to all NLM databases that have information on a particular drug. It also links to material from federal, state and international agencies.
  • The Drug Information Portal is a gateway to drug information from the National Library of Medicine and other key government agencies. It covers drugs from entry into clinical trials through entry in the market place.
• What additional drug information resources are provided by NLM?

  There are other NLM resources with drug information. These resources are included in searches done in ChemIDplus and the Drug Information Portal:

  • MedlinePlus - information on over 700 diseases and medical conditions. It also provides access to AHFS® Consumer Medication Information from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.
  • MEDLINE/PubMed - comprehensive coverage of scientific articles on drugs in a database of over 20 million citations to articles in the biomedical literature.
  • DailyMed - provides the medication content and labeling as found in medication package inserts.
  • ClinicalTrials.gov - a database of federally and privately supported clinical studies on drugs and other treatments under study for safe and effective treatment of a wide range of diseases and medical conditions.
• Does TOXNET use cookies?
  A cookie is information sent by a Web site server to your computer. TOXNET creates session cookies on the your computer. These cookies last for the duration of your connection to TOXNET. The cookie contains information about each search so that previous searches can be displayed. TOXNET itself does not keep track of what searches you have made. It only has files listing the results of those searches. These temporary files are kept for no less than one hour and for no more than two hours. Each time you request a record from a search request, the results file is given a guarantee of one hour to live.
• Can an error in a citation be corrected?

  Corrections can be made if the error is in a PubMed citation found TOXLINE or DART because these databases are produced by NLM. Visit Reporting an Error in PubMed for more information.

  If the error is in other parts of TOXLINE, DART or the other TOXNET databases corrections cannot be made because NLM does not produce these databases.

Searching TOXNET

• How do I limit my results by date, age group, language, type of article, etc.?

  TOXNET does not allow limiting retrieval by age or by types of articles.

  TOXLINE and DART retrieval can be limited by author, title, publication year and by language. Use the Advanced Search option. Visit TOXLINE/DART Help for more information on using limits in TOXLINE.

  The other TOXNET databases have limits specific to each database. The fields available vary by database. When you click on the Advanced Search tab you will see the fields available for that database. You can use as many or as few fields as desired. If the search term does not appear in those fields, you will get a message that "No records were found".

• How do I remove PubMed citations from TOXLINE or DART searches?

  There are three options for removing PubMed citations from TOXLINE or DART searches:

  • Beneath the search box on the TOXLINE and DART Basic Search pages, select "No" for "Include PubMed records."
  • For a TOXLINE search, add "NOT PubMed [org] NOT PubDart [org]" to your search box.
    Example: benzene NOT PubMed [org] NOT PubDart [org]
  • For a DART search, add "NOT PubMed [org]" in the search box.
    Example: benzene NOT PubMed [org]

Viewing, Printing, and Saving

• In what order are the citations displayed in TOXNET?

  TOXNET search results are displayed in relevancy ranked order. Relevancy ranking is based on the number of individual search terms in a document, the number of times each search term occurs in a document, the rarity of the search terms within the database, and the nearness of search terms to each other. Records containing combinations of search terms tend to be ranked higher than records with isolated occurrences of search terms.

  If you search for only a single chemical in HSDB, CCRIS, IRIS, ITER, GENETOX, LactMed, CPDB, or CTD the primary record will be displayed first. Other records listed will have one or more of the requested chemical name(s) anywhere in the record.

• How do I sort my results?

  Use the drop down menu labeled "Sort By".

  • TOXLINE and DART results can be sorted by Year of Publication, Title, Author, Entry month, or Relevance.
  • In HSDB, CCRIS, IRIS, ITER, GENETOX, LactMed, CPDB, or CTD, the results can be sorted by Relevance or Substance Name.
  • TRI results can be sorted by Substance Name, Facility, City, or State
• How do I print TOXNET search results?

  You can print one record at a time. Use the Print icon from within an individual record. In HSDB, CCRIS, IRIS, ITER, GENETOX, LactMed, TRI or CTD you can select which sections you'd like to have printed by displaying those sections before you click the Print icon.

  Note: Records in HSDB may be many pages long.

• How do I save TOXNET search results?

  Use the "Download" feature to save the search results as a plain text file. Only records from TOXLINE and DART can be imported into reference management software such as Reference Manager.

  "Download" is not available for ChemIDplus, CPDB, CTD, Haz-Map, Household Products Database, and TOXMAP.

• How can I store a TOXNET search strategy?

  You cannot store search strategies in TOXNET. You can use the History feature to retrieve searches recently performed. Search History is lost after one hour of inactivity.

  You can also copy and paste your search strategy into a document, save the document, and then later paste the search strategy into the TOXNET search box.

Creating Links to TOXNET

• How do I create a link to a record in a TOXNET database?

   

  HSDB, TOXLINE, LactMed, DART, TRI, CTD, IRIS, ITER, CCRIS, GENE-TOX: Use the Permalink option found on the upper right of a TOXNET record.

  ChemIDplus: Copy the URL found in the address line of the browser you are using

  Haz-Map: Copy the URL found in the address line of the

  Household Products Database: Copy the URL found in the address line of the browser you are using
  

  TOXMAP: Visit How can I link my site to TOXMAP? for directions

• How do I create a link to the results when I search all the databases in TOXNET?
  Creating a link that includes results from a search across all the databases can be difficult. Please email: tehip@teh.nlm.nih.gov for help.

Managing References

• How do I get the full text version of articles I find in a search?

  There are several ways of getting a full text article:

  Journal Articles

  • Click on this symbol, at the top of a citation found in TOXLINE or DART. You will be taken to PubMed Central which provides the full text for free.
  • If you are affiliated with a hospital or university library, check with that library to find out if they can supply the article.
  • If you are not affiliated with a hospital or university library, request a copy from your local library. The library may be able to use Interlibrary Loan (ILL) to get an article.
  • If you do not have a local library, look at Document Delivery from the National Library of Medicine.
  • Check NLM's How to Get the Journal Article for more information.
  • You can try one of the sources listed in this resource: Finding Free Full Text Materials

  Other Materials

  • If you are unable to find a copy of an item at a library, it may be possible to purchase a copy. Note: Older materials may no longer be in print.

  NIH RePORT Expenditures and Results Tool (RePORTER) in TOXLINE

  • The NIH RePORT Expenditures and Results (RePORTER) query tool provides information about a project's results, history, and any sub-projects. Information from RePORT is included in TOXLINE.
  • Links to the full report can be found at the bottom of a TOXLINE record in the section marked Document Number.

  Government Reports Announcements & Index (GRA&I)

  • You can order GRA&I reports by following the link found in the TOXLINE citation.

• How do I cite a reference from a TOXNET database?

  References from TOXLINE and DART can follow either the journal article citation rules in the author instructions for a specific journal or your particular requirements.

  The citation format preferred by NLM for databases such as HSDB, IRIS, ITER, GENE-TOX, and CCRIS is shown below.

  Format Template: MeSH Browser [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US); 2001- [updated 2001 Apr 5; cited 2001 Apr 10]. Meta-analysis; unique ID: D015201; [about 3 p.]. Available from: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/MBrowser.html

  Example: Hazardous Substances Data Bank [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US); [Last Revision Date ????; cited 2011 Mar ]. Potassium Nitrate; Hazardous Substances Databank Number: ???; [about # screens]. Available from: http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/htmlgen?HSDB

  • The Hazardous Substances Databank Number is found in the Administrative Information section of an HSDB record.
  • The Last Revision Date is found in the Administrative Information section of an HSDB record.

• How do I borrow a book?

  Check your local library's catalog to see if the book is available. If the bookis not owned by the library, you can borrow the book from the National Library of Medicine.

  To borrow a book from NLM:

  • Use the NLM Catalog to verify that NLM carries the book.
  • After locating the book, ask your local library to send an Interlibrary Loan (ILL) request to NLM. Contact your library for information on its ILL services and fees.
  • For further information, visit Getting Articles and Borrowing Books.
• How do I find a library that can help me with health information?
  The National Library of Medicine maintains the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM), a network of health science libraries and information centers throughout the United States. NN/LM can help you locate a public or health library that can assist you in your search. Visit Find a Library to locate a library. Some libraries may charge a fee for photocopies or services.
• How do I import citations into my reference management program?

  Only citations from TOXLINE and DART can be imported into reference management programs, such as ProCite, Reference Manager, and EndNote. Results from HSDB, IRIS, ITER, CCRIS, GENE-TOX, and TRI are in formats that cannot be understood by the software.

  To import search results from TOXLINE and DART into a reference management program:

  • Click on the "Download" button on the left side of the screen.
  • A window will pop up, displaying several format options. Highlight the "Tagged" option and click "Download".
  • Save the citations using ".txt" as the filename extension.
  • When you import the citations, choose the "TOXLINE" filter from the program's list of filters.
• How do I find a journal listed in a reference?

  This information will help you find a journal's title but does not link to full text resources.

  • Visit FAQ: Finding NLM Serials Data and MEDLINE Indexed Journals
  • The Library of Congress catalog can also be used.
• Where can I get a list of journals in TOXNET?
  NLM does not maintain a list of journals for references found in TOXLINE or other TOXNET databases. TOXNET resources are drawn from multiple sources that provide data in the format used by each source's producer. There are no title lists for closed subfiles because there is no way to know how those sources gathered their material.

Downloading TOXNET Datasets

• How do I download datasets from TOXNET?
  The NLM Data Distribution Program is the preferred access point for bulk downloading of the following TOXNET datasets: CCRIS, ChemIDplus, GENE-TOX, HSDB, LactMed, and TOXLINE.
• Who do I contact if I have questions about the XML data in the datasets?

  NLM can give only limited support for those acquiring TOXNET data. If you need information about a field or find an error in the data, please email: tehip@teh.nlm.nih.gov. Since many of the databases are created by other agencies, some problems cannot be corrected immediately.

  Attempting to validate the XML data is a common problem. The TOXNET XML files produce well-formed XML data in accordance with W3C specifications. Validating parsers behave differently. Making XML data work for your application may require the services of a professional text programmer.

• How often are the TOXNET datasets updated on the FTP download site?

  Updated datasets are placed on the FTP site by the close of the 28th of each month, Eastern Standard/Daylight Time. Occasional problems with the data or the coincidence of weekends or holidays may delay the data for 1-2 days.

  If there is any change in the data from the previous month, the new version will be placed on the site. Please note that some of these changes may be extremely minor.

Chemidplus

• What sources do you use to create ChemIDplus?

  ChemIDplus is created from more than 100 sources. The core sources of substance records correspond to those substances that are cited in one or more of the National Library of Medicine (NLM) databases.

  Other sources include the Canadian Domestic Substances List (DSL), European EINECS, EPA TSCA Inventory, the SUPERLIST set of regulatory resources, and other internet databases such as EPA Substance Registry System, the FDA Drugs@FDA system, IARC, NIAID, and NIST Chemistry WebBook. A full list of Locators can be found here (http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/chem/alllocators.html).

• How often is ChemIDplus updated?
  ChemIDplus is updated continuously.
• What is the difference between ChemIDplus Lite and Advanced?

  ChemIDplus Lite is designed for simple searching by name or registry number and returns basic information about a chemical and provide links to other resources. Clicking on the Full Record in a ChemIDplus Lite result shows a substance's structures, but does not allow drawing or searching on structures.

  ChemIDplus Advanced provides links to the same resources as the Lite version. In addition, it lets users draw their own structures and perform chemical similarity and substructure searches and search by any combination of name, registry number, molecular formula, classification code, locator code, toxicity, physical property, structure, or molecular

  Search results done in either ChemIDplus Lite or ChemIDplus Advanced show the name, registry number, molecular formula, classification code, locator code, toxicity, physical property, structure, and molecular weight. For toxicity and physical property data, search terms are highlighted within the Advanced table results.

• Why do I get a message about the Marvin Applet when I start ChemIDplus?

  The primary structure editor in ChemIDplus is "Marvin for JavaScript" created by ChemAxon. You will need Internet Explorer 9 or above for this. Other browser compatibility information is found here.

  If you have an older browser select "Marvin applets incl. 3D" from the pull down menu in the Structure area of the page.

  When Marvin for Java first loads, you must answer whether to trust it "this time or always". If "always" is selected, it will not ask each session.

  Marvin is also used to display structures such as PNG (Portable Network Graphics) files in our results page so that a plug-in is not needed to view results.

• Why do I get a warning about loading Java when I start ChemIDplus?

  The Java applet Marvin requires that the latest version of Java be installed on your computer. If you don't have the latest version you will be prompted to download it. For security reasons, it is recommended that you get the latest version.

• How do I draw or edit structures with Marvin in ChemIDplus?

  "Marvin for JavaScript" is the default structure editor.

  Click on the "Draw" button in the "Structure" box in ChemIDplus Advanced to launch the structure editor.

  The editor includes chemical drawing tools and help files. Changes you make in MarvinSketch show up immediately in the ChemIDplus Advanced "Structure" box after you hit the "Close" button. You may then select the type of Structure search, add any qualifying data ranges (such as molecular weight), and click on the Search button on the top or bottom of the page.

• How do I draw or edit with Chime and Accelrys Draw?

  Chime was a free chemical display application that has been phased out. ChemIDplus no longer supports it. Accelrys Draw - No Fee is a structure drawing package available. You will need to register to download Accelrys Draw - No Fee. You may have difficulties with the applications in Firefox and Chrome.

  • From within "Marvin for JavaScript", click on Export in the upper left corner.
  • Then choose "MDL Molfile" from the format pull down menu.
  • Then click the Download button.
  • You can then transfer the file to AccelrysDraw. Accelrys Draw has a series of chemical drawing tools and help files available
• How do I download a single structure Mol file in ChemIDplus?

  If Marvin is loaded in your computer click "Transfer Structure to query page" from a search results page. This moves the structure into the Structure box. Click on the Structure box to start MarvinSketch. Then chose File > Save As > Files of Type > MDL Molfiles (*.mol) format.

  • Molfile
    • Click "Transfer Structure" from a search results page. This moves the structure into the ChemIDplus Structure box.
    • Click the Edit button in the Structure box
    • "Marvin for JavaScript" will open
    • Click on Export in the upper left corner.
    • Then choose "MDL Molfile" from the format pull down menu.
    • Then click the Download button.
  • Image
    • Click "Transfer Structure" from a search results page. This moves the structure into the ChemIDplus Structure box.
    • Click the Edit button in the Structure box
    • "Marvin for JavaScript" will open
    • Click on Export in the upper left corner.
    • Click on the Image tab
    • Select format and specifications
    • Click Download button. Note: The Download button does not work if you are using IE9 or earlier.
  • Image Quick Save (Lite or Advanced)
    • Right click on image of structure on the page
    • Click Save picture as
    • Select File name, type, and location
How do I view a structure in ChemIDplus?

In ChemIDplus Lite click the "Full Record" button. The structure will be at the top of the new page that appears along with the structure descriptors for InChI, InChIKey, and SMILES.

The ChemIDplus Advanced version automatically displays the structure at the top of the results page. Clicking on the "Enlarge Structure" link opens a window for viewing or manipulating 2D or 3D images of the structure.