curare
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About Our Definitions: All forms of a word (noun, verb, etc.) are now displayed on one page.cu·ra·re
noun \kyu̇-ˈrär-ē, ku̇-\Definition of CURARE
: a dried aqueous extract especially of a vine (as Strychnos toxifera of the family Loganiaceae or Chondodendron tomentosum of the family Menispermaceae) used by South American Indians to poison arrow tips and in medicine to produce muscular relaxation
See Variants of CURARE
cu·ra·re also cu·ra·ri \kyu̇-ˈrär-ē, ku̇-\
Origin of CURARE
Portuguese & Spanish curare, from Carib kurari
First Known Use: 1777
cu·ra·re
noun (Medical Dictionary)Medical Definition of CURARE
: a dried aqueous extract especially of a vine (as Strychnos toxifera of the family Loganiaceae or Chondodendron tomentosum of the family Menispermaceae) that produces muscle relaxation and is used in arrow poisons by South American Indians—compare tubocurarine
Variants of CURARE
cu·ra·re also cu·ra·ri \k(y)u̇-ˈrär-ē\ (audio pronunciation)
curare
noun (Concise Encyclopedia)Organic compound, an alkaloid that occurs in various tropical American plants (mostly of the genus Strychnos) and causes paralysis. Crude preparations have long been used by native people as an arrow poison. It relaxes skeletal muscle by competing with acetylcholine at nerve endings. A purified form is used in anesthesiology to prevent any movement of patients during surgery. Small amounts bring profound relaxation, with prompt recovery and few complications.
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