TOXNET Web Service API Overview  Previous Topic

TOXNET Web Service API - Search TOXNET Bibliographic Databases

TOXNET bibliographic databases include TOXLINE and DART. TOXNET Web Service API allows users to search keywords in a specified bibliographic database. A results list of bibliographic brief records are returned. A full record can also be returned in TOXNET API Response format or HTML format if a record DOCNO is specified.

Search using HTTP GET request

Base URL

http://toxgate.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/x?dbs+<db>:<keyword>

Required Parameters for Initial Search Requests

Parameter Name	Description
db	Database to search. Valid database names are toxline and dart. Please note that the database name must be in lowercase.
keyword	The keyword submitted to the web service. Spaces should be replaced by '+' signs. Special characters should be replaced with a "%" followed by their ASCII code in hexadecimal. For very long queries (more than several hundred characters long), consider using a HTTP POST method.

Example

Search for benzene leukemia in TOXLINE database.

URL for initial search: 
http://toxgate.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/x?dbs+toxline:benzene+leukemia

Search Result:   Click here  (Please allow your browser to show blocked content by right clicking on the information bar.)

Search using HTTP POST request

TOXNET Web Service API provides functions such as query expansion with chemical synonyms and CAS registry number and stemming of keywords. These functions can only be called by using the POST method. Please refer to related documents on how to issue an HTTP POST request.

Base URL

http://toxgate.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search

Required Parameters

Parameter Name	Description
queryxxx	Keyword.
chemsyn	Must be 1 to turn on query expansion with chemical synonyms and CAS Registry Number.
database	Database to search. Valid database names are toxline and dart. Please note that the database name must be in lowercase.
Stemming	Must be 1 to turn on stemming.
and	Must be 1.
second_search	Must be 1.
gateway	Must be 1.

Example

Search benzene with chemical synonyms and CAS Registry Number and stemming in TOXLINE database.

URL for Initial Search:
http://toxgate.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search

Required Parameters

Parameter Name	Description
queryxxx	benzene
chemsyn	1
database	toxline
Stemming	1
and	1
second_search	1
gateway	1

Search results

Search Result Example:   Click here  (Please allow your browser to show blocked content by right clicking on the information bar)

TOXNET API Response Format:

<QueryResult>

<Count>

</Count>

<DispMax>

</DispMax>

<Id>

</Id>

<TemporaryFile>

</TemporaryFile>

<Translation>

</Translation>

</QueryResult>

Descriptions of Tags  

Tag Name	Description
QueryResult	Basic node that contains the response.
Count	Total number of records returned in the current search.
DispMax	Maximum records displayed for each subsequent search. Default value = 20.
Id	List of DOCNOs.
TemporaryFile	A unique identifier to specify the current search. Used in the subsequent search. Session will expire after 30 minutes of inactivity.
Translation	Description of this search.

URL for Subsequent Requests

http://toxgate.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/g?<TemporaryFile>:<n>

Required Parameters for Subsequent Requests

Parameter Name	Description
TemporaryFile	The unique identifier returned in the initial search tag <TemporaryFile> which refers to the current search. Expires in 30 minutes.
n	n indicates to start at the (n+1)th record and display the following 20 records. Note: n starts at 0.

Example for Subsequent Requests:

Base URL:  http://toxgate.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/g?./temp/~7wiTBN:0

Search Result:   Click here  (Please allow your browser to show blocked content by right clicking on the information bar)

TOXNET API Response Format:

<DocSumSet>

<Id>

</Id>

<DocSum>

<DOCNO>

</DOCNO>

<na>

</na>

<au>

</au>

<la>

</la>

<org>

</org>

</DocSum>

</DocSumSet>

Descriptions of Tags  

Tag Name	Description
DocSumSet	Basic node that contains the response.
Id	List of DOCNOs.
DocSum	Document Summary.
DOCNO	Document Number.
na	Name.
au	Authors.
so	Source
la	Language.
org	TOXLINE subset.

Request a full record in bibliographic databases

A bibliographic full record can be requested in either TOXNET API Response format or HTML format.

URL for request full record in TOXNET API Response format
http://toxgate.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/z?dbs+<db>:@term+@DOCNO+<DOCNO>

URL for request full record in HTML format
http://toxgate.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/r?dbs+<db>:@term+@DOCNO+<DOCNO>

Required Parameters for Full Record Request

Parameter Name	Description
db	Database to search. Valid database names are toxline and dart. Please note that the database name must be in lowercase.
DOCNO	The record DOCNO

Example

Retrieve a full record RISKLINE/1994010029 from the TOXLINE database in HTML format.

Base URL:  http://toxgate.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/r?dbs+toxline:@term+@DOCNO+RISKLINE/1994010029

Search Result:   Click here

Retrieve a full record RISKLINE/1994010029 from TOXLINE database in TOXNET API Response Format

Base URL:  http://toxgate.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/z?dbs+toxline:@term+@DOCNO+RISKLINE/1994010029

Search Result:   Click here  (Please allow your browser to show blocked content by right clicking on the information bar.)

TOXNET API Response Format:

<DocList>

<Doc>

<DOCNO/>

<na/>

<au/>

<ad/>

<cn/>

<so/>

<cm/>

<ea/>

<ab/>

<aau/>

<ec/>

<tax/>

<ot/>

<sex/>

<cul/>

<ctl/>

<exc/>

<ctr/>

<cob/>

<noa/>

<mt/>

<ec2/>

<ind/>

<ayt/>

<ay/>

<str/>

<mat/>

<ra/>

<cag/>

<mh/>

<kw/>

<ps/>

<ps2/>

<rn/>

<la/>

<tr/>

<is/>

<ib/>

<cd/>

<pt/>

<od/>

<pr/>

<sa/>

<gcn/>

<cy/>

<em/>

<y1/>

<y2/>

<zp/>

<jc/>

<ta/>

<tt/>

<rf/>

<gs/>

<cc/>

<yr/>

<pc/>

<si/>

<aw/>

<dtg/>

<itg/>

<date/>

<ct/>

<ci/>

<dban/>

<cito/>

<cs/>

<cset/>

<fjt/>

<jt/>

<edat/>

<inv/>

<inv2/>

<note/>

<stat/>

</Doc>

</DocList>

Descriptions of Tags

Tag Name	Description
DocList	Basic node that contains the response.
Doc	Node for each returned record.
DOCNO	Document Number.
na	Title.
au	Authors.
ad	Author Address.
cn	Corporate Name.
so	Source.
cm	Comments.
ea	English Abstract Indicator.
ab	Abstract.
aau	Additional Agents Used.
ec	Enzyme Classification.
tax	Taxonomic Name.
ot	Test Object.
sex	Sex Treated.
cul	Tissue Cultured.
ctl	Control.
exc	Experimental Conditions.
ctr	Cells Treated.
cob	Cells Observed.
noa	Name of Agent (CAS RN).
mt	Mated To.
ec2	EC Substance.
ind	Inducer (CAS Rn).
ayt	Assay.
ay	Assay Method.
str	Stage Treated.
mat	Maternal Effects.
ra	Route of Administration.
cag	Control Agent.
mh	Medical Subject Headings (MeSH).
kw	Keywords.
ps	Personal Name as Subject.
ps2	Personal Name as Subject.
rn	CAS Registry Numbers.
la	Language.
tr	Translation Source.
is	International Standard Serial Number.
ib	International Standard Book Number.
cd	Coden.
pt	Publication Types.
od	Order Information.
pr	Price.
sa	Supporting Agency.
gcn	Grant/Contract Funding.
cy	Country or State.
em	Entry Month.
y1	Initial Project Year.
y2	Final Project Year.
zp	Zip Code.
jc	Journal Title Code.
ta	Title Abbreviation.
tt	Transliterated/Vernacular Title.
rf	Number of References.
gs	Gene Symbol.
cc	Classification Code.
yr	Year of Publication.
pc	Pestab Pub Code.
si	Secondary Source ID.
aw	Award Type.
dtg	Data Tag.
itg	Index Tag.
date	Last Revision Date.
ct	Category.
ci	Copyright Information.
dban	Data Bank.
cito	Medline Citation.
cs	Country.
cset	Citation Subset.
fjt	Medline Title Abbreviation.
jt	General Note Owner.
edat	Article Date.
inv	Investigator.
inv2	Investigator.
note	General Note Owner.
stat	Stat.

Complex search queries

Please consult the PISCES Query Language to formulate complex search queries using features such as Boolean operations, field-specific search, and wildcard characters.

Top