Chem. [a. F. vératrine, f. VERATR-UM + -INE5. The mod.L. form veratrina has also been employed.] A poisonous vegetable alkaloid or mixture of alkaloids, obtained esp. from various species of Veratrum (as the seeds of V. Sabadilla and the root of V. album), and used medicinally as an ointment for the relief of neuralgia, rheumatism, etc.; veratria.
1822. A. T. Thomson, Lond. Disp. (ed. 3), 257. Its [sc. Colchicum] acrimony resides in a peculiar alkali, which can be separated from the other principles, and has been named veratrine by M. M. Pelletier and Caventou, who discovered it.
1852. W. Gregory, Handbk. Org. Chem. (ed. 3), 362. Veratrine, in the form of tincture, and still more in that of ointment,… is now much used.
1883. R. Haldane, Workshop Receipts, Ser. II. 27/1. Veratrine is easily exhausted from the seeds of Veratrum Sabadilla.
attrib. 1865. Mrs. Carlyle, Lett., III. 259. I got the thing he mentioned, Veratrine liniment.
1868. Watts, Dict. Chem., V. 997. A solution of a veratrine-salt, mixed with tartaric acid.
