ALKALOID

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does alkaloid mean? 

• ALKALOID (noun)
  The noun ALKALOID has 1 sense:

1. natural bases containing nitrogen found in plants

  Familiarity information: ALKALOID used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ALKALOID (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Natural bases containing nitrogen found in plants

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Hypernyms ("alkaloid" is a kind of...):

organic compound (any compound of carbon and another element or a radical)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "alkaloid"):

ergotamine (an alkaloid derived from ergot that is less toxic than ergot; causes constriction of blood vessels and is used to treat migraine)

curare; tubocurarine (a toxic alkaloid found in certain tropical South American trees that is a powerful relaxant for striated muscles)

rauwolfia (any of several alkaloids extracted from the shrub Rauwolfia serpentina)

caffein; caffeine (a bitter alkaloid found in coffee and tea that is responsible for their stimulating effects)

betaine (a sweet tasting alkaloid that occurs in sugar beets)

brucine (a bitter alkaloid poison resembling strychnine and extracted from nux vomica)

strychnine (an alkaloid plant toxin extracted chiefly from nux vomica; formerly used as a stimulant)

nicotine (an alkaloid poison that occurs in tobacco; used in medicine and as an insecticide)

pseudoephedrine (poisonous crystalline alkaloid occurring with ephedrine and isomorphic with it)

atropine (a poisonous crystalline alkaloid extracted from the nightshade family; used as an antispasmodic and to dilate the eye pupil; also administered in large amounts as an antidote for organophosphate nerve agents or organophosphate insecticides)

ergonovine; Ergotrate Maleate (an alkaloid derived from ergot (trade name Ergotrate Maleate) that is less toxic than ergot; induces muscular contraction of the uterus and is administered after childbirth or abortion)

ephedrine (white odorless powdered or crystalline alkaloid from plants of the genus Ephedra (especially Ephedra sinica) or made synthetically; used as a bronchodilator to treat bronchitis and asthma)

cinchonine (an alkaloid derivative of the bark of cinchona trees that is used as an antimalarial drug)

physostigmine (used in treatment of Alzheimer's disease and glaucoma)

hyoscine; scopolamine (an alkaloid with anticholinergic effects that is used as a sedative and to treat nausea and to dilate the pupils in ophthalmic procedures)

pilocarpine (cholinergic alkaloid used in eyedrops to treat glaucoma)

hyoscyamine (a poisonous crystalline alkaloid (isometric with atropine but more potent); used to treat excess motility of the gastrointestinal tract)

Derivation:

alkaloidal (pertaining to or consisting of alkaloids)

 Context examples 

Camptothecin, an alkaloid isolated from the Chinese tree Camptotheca acuminata, binds to and stabilizes the topoisomerase I-DNA covalent complex.

(Mureletecan, NCI Thesaurus)

The herb contains the alkaloids stachydrine and leonurinine, glycosides, diterpinoids, flavonoids, tannins, volatile oils, and vitamin A.

(Motherwort, NCI Thesaurus)

A lozenge preparation containing the alkaloid nicotine with nicotine replacement activity.

(Nicotine lozenge, NCI Thesaurus)

A nasal spray composed of an aqueous solution containing the alkaloid nicotine with nicotine replacement activity.

(Nicotine nasal spray, NCI Thesaurus)

An alkaloid drug belonging to a class of anticancer agents called topoisomerase inhibitors.

(Nitrocamptothecin, NCI Dictionary)

A transdermal patch containing the alkaloid nicotine with nicotine replacement activity.

(Nicotine patch, NCI Thesaurus)

A sustained-release tablet formulation containing the sulfate salt of the opiate alkaloid morphine with analgesic activity.

(Morphine Sulfate Sustained-Release Tablet, NCI Thesaurus)

The sulfate salt of morphine, an opiate alkaloid isolated from the plant Papaver somniferum and produced synthetically.

(Morphine sulfate, NCI Thesaurus)

All these species contain alkaloids, which are naturally-occurring cyclical and nitrogen-containing organic compounds.

(Scientists examine the ethnobotanical uses of stramonium, University of Granada)

Chaste berries contain glycosides, flavonoids, alkaloids, monoterpenes, and sesquiterpenes.

(Chaste Berry, NCI Thesaurus)