Antiarin

/ænˈtaɪərɪn/ noun

Definition

A poisonous compound found in the antiar tree that can be toxic to the heart.

Etymology

From 'antiar' (the tree) + '-in' (a chemical suffix for active compounds). Isolated and named in the 19th century when chemists analyzed the tree's toxic properties.

Kelly Says

Antiarin is so toxic that it was tested as a potential poison for weapons, but it was never widely used because it was hard to produce and less reliable than other poisons—nature's chemical weapons sometimes don't work as well as humans' do.

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