A toxic alkaloid compound extracted from certain plants in the genus Delphinium, used historically in research on nerve and muscle function.
Compound name combining 'Delphinium' (the larkspur plant genus) and 'curarine' (a poison alkaloid). Created in the 20th century when chemists isolated and named plant toxins.
This poison was crucial in discovering how muscles receive signals from nerves—scientists used it to block muscle reactions and prove that signals must pass across tiny gaps called synapses, revolutionizing neurobiology.
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