al'kaloid. 1

Resembling an alkali. 2. Any alkaline principle found in plants. A general name applied to the large group of organic bases found in plants which have marked physiological action. Morphin, quinin, caffein, nicotin, atropin, coni in, and strychnin are alkaloids. The majority of a's are formed by plants; some are prepared synthetically. They are mostly solid, crystallizable substances, except nicotin, the active principle of tobacco, and coni in, the active principle of conium. These are liquid and volatile. cadaveric a. An a. generated in dead bodies by the proce es of putrefaction. glucosid a. A substance which shows the properties and reactions of an a., but, like a glucosid, may be decomposed by dilute acids into glucose and another compound. form.] [.Alkali, + Gr., eidos, alkamet'ric. Pertaining to the apportionment of doses of alkaloids.