reserpine
[ res-er-pin, -peen, ruh-sur-pin, -peen ]
nounPharmacology.
an alkaloid, C33H40N2O9, obtained from the root of the rauwolfia, Rauwolfia serpentina, used in the treatment of hypertension.
Origin of reserpine
11950–55; <German Reserpin, equivalent to reserp- (probably irregular <New Latin Rauwolfia serpentina (Rauwolfiarauwolfia + Late Latin serpentīna, feminine of serpentīnusserpentine1)) + German -in-ine2
Words Nearby reserpine
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for reserpine
reserpine
/ (ˈrɛsəpɪn) /
noun
an insoluble alkaloid, extracted from the roots of the plant Rauwolfia serpentina, used medicinally to lower blood pressure and as a sedative and tranquillizer. Its main adverse effect is mental depression. Formula: C 33 H 40 N 2 O 9
Origin of reserpine
1C20: from German Reserpin, probably from the New Latin name of the plant
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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