Hydroxy-coumarin

1 definition found

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

  Umbelliferone \Um`bel*lif"er*one\, n. (Chem.)
     A tasteless white crystalline substance, {C9H6O3}, found in
     the bark of a certain plant ({Daphne Mezereum}), and also
     obtained by the distillation of certain gums from the
     {Umbelliferae}, as galbanum, asafetida, etc. It is analogous
     to coumarin. Called also {hydroxy-coumarin}. Its strong


     fluorescence under ultraviolet light makes it useful in
     analytical biochemistry, as, for example, to detect
     phosphatase activity by hydrolysis of umbelliferyl phosphate.
     [1913 Webster +PJC]