sparteine

[ spahr-tee-een, -in ]

noun

1. a bitter, poisonous, liquid alkaloid obtained from certain species of broom, especially Cytisus scoparius, used in medicine to stimulate the heart and also the uterine muscles in childbirth.

sparteine

/ -ɪn; ˈspɑːtɪˌiːn /

noun

1. a viscous oily alkaloid extracted from the broom plant and lupin seeds. It has been used in medicine to treat heart arrhythmias

Word History and Origins

Origin of sparteine¹

1850–55; irregular < New Latin Sparti ( um ) name of a genus of broom (< Greek spárt ( os ) kind of broom + New Latin -ium -ium ) + -ine ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of sparteine¹

C19: from New Latin Spartium, from Greek spartos broom

Example Sentences

They contain chemically an acid principle, "scoparin," and an alkaloid, "sparteine."

From Project Gutenberg