Definition

A chemical compound derived from a fungus that is used to treat migraines by narrowing blood vessels.

Example

The doctor prescribed ergotamine to help relieve her migraine symptoms.

Conversation

Have you heard about ergotamine?

Yeah, I read that it's used for treating migraines.

I think it's interesting how it works to induce vasoconstriction.

Definitely! It's amazing what some medications can do.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Ergotamine is derived from 'ergot' (from the French *ergot*, meaning a type of fungus) and '-amine' (a suffix used in chemistry to denote amine compounds). The word refers to a compound derived from the ergot fungus, which has medicinal properties.

Memory Tip

Think of 'ergot' as the fungus that gives rise to this compound, and '-amine' indicates it's a chemical substance. This helps you remember that ergotamine is a chemical derived from the ergot fungus.

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