Alkaloid
Definition
A nitrogenous organic substance, typically possessing a basic (alkaline) character and a complex heterocyclic structure, primarily biosynthesized by plants, but also by certain fungi or animals. Alkaloids exhibit intense pharmacodynamic action on the central nervous system and the human body, functioning, depending on the dosage, as essential medicines, stimulants, or highly violent poisons (for example: morphine, caffeine, nicotine, atropine, quinine).
Bilingual Equivalents
- Alkaloid
Grammatical & Source Details
| Inflection Type | Masculine noun, regular physical variations for singular and plural forms. |
| Formation | Scientific neologism combining the root 'alkali' with the structural Greek-derived suffix '-oid' to signify its alkali-like chemical behavior. |
| Spelling / Pronunciation | [ˈæl.kəl.ɔɪd] |
| Source | The IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology and Natural Products |
Contextual Usage Examples
RO: Morfina este un alcaloid extras din macul opiu, fiind utilizată în medicină ca un analgezic extrem de puternic.
EN: Morphine is an alkaloid extracted from the opium poppy, utilized in medicine as an extremely powerful analgesic.
RO: Cercetătorul a izolat un nou alcaloid din scoarța unui copac tropical și îi testează proprietățile antimicrobiene.
EN: The researcher isolated a new alkaloid from the bark of a tropical tree and is testing its antimicrobial properties.
RO: Efectul toxic al acestei plante de pădure se datorează prezenței unui alcaloid nedeclarat care paralizează mușchii respiratorii.
EN: The toxic effect of this forest plant is due to the presence of an undeclared alkaloid that paralyzes respiratory muscles.
Idioms & Phrases
Alcaloid vegetal / Plant alkaloid
RO: Metabolit secundar sintetizat de țesuturile plantelor ca mecanism natural de apărare împotriva ierbivorelor.
EN: A secondary metabolite synthesized by plant tissues as a natural defense mechanism against herbivores.
Sare de alcaloid / Alkaloid salt
RO: Formă chimică stabilă și solubilă în apă obținută prin combinarea bazei alcaloidice libere cu un acid, utilizată în farmaciei.
EN: A stable, water-soluble chemical form obtained by combining the free alkaloid base with an acid, utilized in pharmacy.
Extracție de alcaloizi / Alkaloid extraction
RO: Procedeu chimic de laborator de izolare a compușilor azotați puri din materia primă vegetală uscată.
EN: A laboratory chemical process of isolating pure nitrogenous compounds from dried plant raw material.
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