Definition

A toxic, white crystalline substance derived from certain plants, used in medicine for its effects similar to atropine but stronger.

Example

Hyoscyamine is often used to treat muscle spasms and other conditions.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of hyoscyamine?

Yeah, I read it's related to atropine, right?

Exactly! It's actually quite potent and used in some medicines.

That's interesting! I didn't know it had such strong effects.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Hyoscyamine is derived from "hyoscyamus" (from Greek "hyoscyamos", meaning henbane, a type of plant) and "-ine" (a suffix used in chemistry to denote substances). The word refers to a chemical compound derived from the henbane plant.

Memory Tip

Think of the henbane plant ('hyoscyamus') when remembering that 'hyoscyamine' is a substance derived from it.

Visually Confused Words