veratrine

American  

[ver-uh-treen, -trin] / ˈvɛr əˌtrin, -trɪn /

Also veratria

noun

Chemistry, Pharmacology.

1. a white or grayish-white, slightly water-soluble, poisonous mixture of alkaloids obtained by extraction from the seeds of sabadilla and the rhizomes of white hellebore: formerly used in medicine as a counterirritant in the treatment of rheumatism and neuralgia.

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veratrine British  

/ ˈvɛrəˌtriːn, ˈvɛrətrɪn /

noun

1. a white poisonous mixture obtained from the seeds of sabadilla, consisting of veratridine and several other alkaloids: formerly used in medicine as a counterirritant

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Etymology

Origin of veratrine

First recorded in 1815–25; from French, from Latin vērātr(um) “hellebore” + French -ine noun suffix; see -ine ² ( def. 2 )

Example Sentences

Especially effective was a .5% mixture of veratrine and cocoanut oil.

From Time Magazine Archive

This latter is the preparation still most generally used, though the presence of veratrine both in the corm and the seeds renders the use of colchicine itself theoretically preferable.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 6 "Cockaigne" to "Columbus, Christopher" by Various

This is accelerated by a marked depressant action upon the heart, similar to that produced by veratrine and aconite.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 6 "Cockaigne" to "Columbus, Christopher" by Various

The seven leaves on which drops of veratrine had been left for 26 hrs. were given bits of meat, and after 21 hrs. were well inflected.

From Insectivorous Plants by Darwin, Charles

In connection with this it is interesting to note that the effect of veratrine poison on muscle is somewhat similar.

From Response in the Living and Non-Living by Bose, Jagadis Chandra, Sir