The toxins are typically grouped by their main mode of action, such as:

Hepatotoxins (toxins that damage the liver)
Dermatoxins (toxins that damage the skin)
Neurotoxins (toxins that damage the nerve cells)

Some toxins can even be harmful in more than one way, such as cylindrospermopsin, which not only have the ability to harm the liver, but are also harmful to kidneys and may even cause cancer.

There is no known antidote for many of the toxins, so it is important to monitor algal blooms for their presence. It is also important to keep in mind that not all cyanobacteria are toxin producers, known toxin producers may not be producing at the time of the bloom, and some cyanobacteria can produce several different toxins at the same time. With monitoring and knowledge, the ability to keep people and animals safe can be relatively straightforward and undemanding.