usnic acid
/ˈʌznɪk
/noun [mass noun] Biochemistry
A yellow crystalline compound which is present in many lichens and is used as an antibiotic.
- A tricyclic phenol; chemical formula: C18H16O7.
- Although several synthetic compounds inhibit this key pigment enzyme, the scientists found that usnic acid was over 10 times more effective than others tested.
- I don't know anyone else who's working on the toxicity of usnic acid besides me.
Origin
Mid 19th century: usnic from medieval Latin usnea (from Arabic ushnah 'moss') + -ic.
- green thumb
- green-thumbed
- Green Thursday
- green time
- green toad
- green tree ant
- green turtle
- green-veined
- green-veined butterfly
- green-veined orchid
- green-veined white
- Greenville
- green vitriol
- greenware
- greenwash
- greenwashing
- green water
- green wax
- greenway
- green weenie
- Greenwell
- Greenwell's glory
- green welly brigade
- green whey
- Greenwich