nicotiana rusticum

1 definition found

nicotiana rusticum - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Nicotine \Nic"o*tine\ (? or ?), n. [F. nicotine. See
     Nicotian.] (Chem.)
     An alkaloid which is the active principle of tobacco
     (C10H14N2). It occurs in tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum
      and Nicotiana rusticum) to the extent of 2 to 8%,
     in combination with malic acid or citric acid. It is a
     colorless, transparent, oily liquid, having an acrid odor,
     and an acrid burning taste. It is intensely poisonous. The
     apparently addictive effects of tobacco smoking have been
     ascribed largely to the effect of nicotine, and the
     controlled administration of nicotine on various forms has
     been used as a technique for assisting efforts to stop the
     smoking habit. --Ure.
     [1913 Webster +PJC]