a bitter chemical found in the bark of certain fruit tree roots
phlorizin, the toxic principle of apple, pear, plum and cherry trees (but not theirfruits)
phlorizin in American English
(ˈflɔrɪzɪn; floʊˈraɪzɪn)
noun
a bitter, white, crystalline glycoside, C21H24O10, obtained from the root and bark of certain fruit trees: used experimentally to cause glycosuriabecause it inhibits cellular absorption of glucose
: also phloˈridzin (floʊˈrɪdzɪn), phloˈrhizin (floʊˈraɪzɪn)
Word origin
< Gr phloos, bark (see phloem) + rhiza, root1 + -in1