Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A poisonous white crystalline alkaloid, C17H23NO3, isometric with atropine and having similar uses but more potent effects.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A crystalline alkaloid (C17H23 NO;3) obtained from Hyoscyamus niger, or henbane. When moist it has a strong alkaline reaction, and a penetrating, narcotic, and stupefying odor like that of nicotine. It neutralizes acids, forming salts, some of which, particularly the sulphate, are used in medicine. The alkaloid is extremely poisonous.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Chem.) An alkaloid found in henbane (Hyoscyamus niger), and regarded as its active principle. It is also found with other alkaloids in the thorn apple and deadly nightshade. It is extracted as a white crystalline substance, with a sharp, offensive taste. Hyoscyamine is isomeric with atropine, is very poisonous, and is used as a medicine for neuralgia, like belladonna. Called also hyoscyamia, duboisine, etc.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun chemistry an alkaloid, the stereoisomer of atropine, used medicinally to treat abdominal pain and similar conditions

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

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

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[New Latin Hyoscyamus, henbane genus; see hyoscine + –ine.]

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