psoralen

[ sawr-uh-luhn, sohr- ]

noun

, Pharmacology.

1. a toxic substance, C 1 1 H 6 O 3 , found in certain plants, including parsnips, used to increase the response to ultraviolet light in the treatment of severe cases of acne and psoriasis.

Word History and Origins

Origin of psoralen¹

1930–35; < New Latin Psoral ( ea ) name of a genus of plants yielding the compound (< Greek psōraléa, neuter plural of psōraléos mangy, in reference to the glandular dots on the plant; psoriasis ) + -en, variant of -ene