Aconitin

/ækˈɒnɪtɪn/ noun

Definition

A highly poisonous alkaloid compound found in aconite plants, causing paralysis and heart problems; an alternative name for aconitine.

Etymology

From aconite with the suffix -in, representing an older chemical naming convention. This may be a variant spelling or an alternative chemical designation for the same toxic compound.

Kelly Says

Aconitin and aconitine refer to what's likely the same deadly compound, but the naming confusion shows how chemistry evolved—before structural formulas, chemists weren't always sure if they'd isolated the same substance or different ones!

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