furocoumarin

[ fyoor-oh-koo-muh-rin ]

noun

, Biochemistry.

1. psoralen.

Word History and Origins

Origin of furocoumarin¹

furo-, combining form representing furan or furfural + coumarin

Example Sentences

Per Healthline, margarita burns “result when a chemical called furocoumarin reacts with sunlight. This chemical is found in limes and citrus fruits, along with celery, figs, fennel, and a number of other plants.”

From Fox News

The sap contains a blistering agent named furocoumarin; don’t touch any part of this plant.

From Washington Post

The sun’s ultraviolet rays excite electrons in furocoumarin molecules, causing them to bind to two of the DNA bases—thymine and cytosine.

From Scientific American