A highly toxic alkaloid poison obtained from the seeds of certain plants, historically used as rat poison and in small doses as a stimulant.
From French 'strychnine', from New Latin 'strychnos', from Greek 'strychnos' referring to various nightshade plants. First isolated in 1818 from the seeds of Strychnos nux-vomica.
Strychnine's bitter taste led to its use in the phrase 'bitter pill to swallow', and ironically, this deadly poison was once sold as a patent medicine and athletic performance enhancer, showing how our understanding of beneficial versus harmful substances has dramatically evolved.
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