Curare

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Curare \Cu*ra"re\ Curari \Cu*ra"ri\(k?-r?"r?), n. [Native name.
     Cf. {Wourall}.]
     A black resinoid extract prepared by the South American
     Indians from the bark of several species of {Strychnos}
     ({Strychnos toxifera}, etc.). It sometimes has little effect
     when taken internally, but is quickly fatal when introduced


     into the blood, and used by the Indians as an arrow poison.
     [Written also {urari}, {woorali}, {woorari}, etc.]
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  curare
       n : a toxic alkaloid found in certain tropical South American
           trees that is a powerful relaxant for striated muscles;
           used by South American indians as an arrow poison;
           "curare acts by blocking cholinergic transmission at the
           myoneural junction" [syn: {tubocurarine}]