hyoscyamus

American  

[hahy-uh-sahy-uh-muhs] / ˌhaɪ əˈsaɪ ə məs /

noun

1. the dried leaves, with or without the tops, of the henbane, Hyoscyamus niger, containing the alkaloids hyoscyamine and scopolamine, used in medicine.

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hyoscyamus British  

/ ˌhaɪəˈsaɪəməs /

noun

1. any plant of the solanaceous genus Hyoscyamus, of Europe, Asia, and N Africa, including henbane

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Etymology

Origin of hyoscyamus

1700–10; < New Latin < Greek hyoskýamos, equivalent to hyós (genitive of hŷs hog) + kýamos bean

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hyoscyamus

In fact it is closely allied to hyoscyamus, whose active principle, hyoscin, is used in modern medicine precisely for such purposes.

From The Evolution of the Dragon by Smith, G. Elliot

Make into sixty pills with extract of hyoscyamus.

From The Ladies Book of Useful Information Compiled from many sources by Anonymous

Sorra screed! not as much as a powder or a draught,—barrin'," said he, suddenly catching the altered expression of the sick man's face, "a little mixture of hyoscyamus I' ll compound for you myself.

From The Fortunes Of Glencore by Lever, Charles James

This fluid is henbane —that is the commercial name of it—known to the profession, however, as hyoscyamus or hyoscyamine.

From Raspberry Jam by Wells, Carolyn

Symptoms.—Identical with those of belladonna and hyoscyamus, the post-mortem appearances and treatment being also the same.

From Aids to Forensic Medicine and Toxicology by Robertson, W. G. Aitchison (William George Aitchison )