Definition

A chemical substance that can cause diabetes by damaging the pancreas. It is formed from uric acid and appears as a crystalline solid.

Example

Researchers used alloxan to induce diabetes in laboratory rats for their experiments.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of alloxan?

Yeah, I read that it can induce diabetes in experiments.

Exactly! It's pretty interesting how it affects pancreatic tissue.

Definitely, science has some wild ways of studying diseases.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Alloxan is derived from the combination of 'all-' (from 'alloxan', a compound name) and 'oxan' (from 'oxalic acid', which is related to the oxalate group). The term refers to a compound that is related to oxalic acid and is used in biochemical contexts, particularly in relation to diabetes research.

Memory Tip

Think of 'all-' as a prefix indicating a connection to a compound and 'oxan' relating to oxalic acid, which helps you remember that alloxan is a compound associated with oxalic acid.

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