tubocurarine

tu·bo·cu·ra·rine  (tb-k-rärn, -rn, -ky-, ty-)

n.

1. An alkaloid that is the active component of curare.

2. The chloride of this alkaloid, C₃₈H₄₄Cl₂N₂O₆, used as a muscle relaxant.

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[Latin tubus, tube (from the practice of shipping it in bamboo tubes) + curarine (curare + -ine).]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

tubocurarine - a toxic alkaloid found in certain tropical South American trees that is a powerful relaxant for striated muscles; "curare acts by blocking cholinergic transmission at the myoneural junction" curare alkaloid - natural bases containing nitrogen found in plants neuromuscular blocking agent - a substance that interferes with the neural transmission between motor neurons and skeletal muscles phytotoxin, plant toxin - any substance produced by plants that is similar in its properties to extracellular bacterial toxin