A toxic chemical compound found in certain plants, particularly wormseed oil, historically used to treat parasitic worm infections in the intestines.
Derived from 'Ascaris' (a genus of parasitic roundworms) combined with the chemical suffix '-ole' (indicating a chemical compound). The term emerged in the 19th century when this compound was isolated from the plant Dysphania ambrosioides and recognized for its antiparasitic properties.
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