ouabain

noun

oua·​bain wä-ˈbā-ən  ˈwä-ˌbān 

: a poisonous glycoside C₂₉H₄₄O₁₂ obtained from several African shrubs or trees (genera Strophanthus and Acokanthera) of the dogbane family and used medically like digitalis and in Africa as an arrow poison

Examples of ouabain in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But the arrow’s tip has a secret weapon: the deadly poison ouabain. —Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 11 May 2018

At such a dose, ouabain can cause twitching, convulsions, high blood pressure, rapid heart rate, and eventually cardiac arrest. —Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 21 Jan. 2018

The ouabain derivative didn’t have any toxic effects, and the rat produced normal levels of sperm. —Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 21 Jan. 2018

But ouabain also affects another type of transporter subunit called α4, which is found only in sperm cells. —Smithsonian, 31 Jan. 2018

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary, from French ouabaïo, an African tree, from Somali waabayyo arrow poison

First Known Use

1888, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

ouabain

noun

oua·​bain wä-ˈbā-ən  ˈwä-ˌbān 

: a poisonous glycoside C₂₉H₄₄O₁₂ obtained from several African shrubs or trees of the dogbane family and used medically like digitalis and in Africa as an arrow poison