brucine

[ broo-seen, -sin ]
/ ˈbru sin, -sɪn /

noun Chemistry.

a white, crystalline, bitter, slightly water-soluble, very poisonous alkaloid, C23H26N2O4, obtained from the nux vomica tree Strychnos nux-vomica, and from other species of the same genus, resembling but not as powerful as strychnine in its pharmacological action: used chiefly in the denaturation of alcohol.

Origin of brucine

1815–25; named after J. Bruce (1730–94), Scottish explorer; see -ine2

Example sentences from the Web for brucine

British Dictionary definitions for brucine

brucine
/ (ˈbruːsiːn, -sin) /

noun

bitter poisonous alkaloid resembling strychnine and obtained from the tree Strychnos nuxvomica : used mainly in the denaturation of alcohol. Formula: C 23 H 26 N 2 O 4

Word Origin for brucine

C19: named after James Bruce (1730–94), Scottish explorer of Africa