psoralen

American  

[sawr-uh-luhn, sohr-] / ˈsɔr ə lən, ˈsoʊr- /

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.

---

Etymology

Origin of psoralen

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; see psoriasis) + -en, variant of -ene