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Alkaloid
Any of a class of organic compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and usually oxygen, that are often derived from plants. The name means alkalilike, but some alkaloids do not exhibit alkaline properties. Many alkaloids, though poisons, have physiological effects that render them valuable as medicines. For example, curarine, found in the deadly extract curare, is a powerful muscle relaxant; atropine is used to dilate the pupils of the eye; and physostigmine is a specific for certain muscular diseases. Narcotic alkaloids used in medicine include morphine and codeine for pain relief and cocaine as a local anesthetic. Other common alkaloids include caffeine, LSD, quinine, serotonin, strychnine, and nicotine.Source:
The Concise Columbia Encyclopedia
by Columbia University Press
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URL:
http://deoxy.org/define/Alkaloid hyperdictionary—index |