| bitter apple | The peeled dried fruit of Citrullus colcynthis (family Cucurbitaceae), an herb of the sandy shores of the Mediterranean, resembling somewhat the watermelon plant; formerly widely used as a cathartic and laxative. Synonym: bitter apple. Origin: G. Kolokynthe, the round gourd or pumpkin (05 Mar 2000) |
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| bitter melon | The fruit of a Chinese vine related to the cucumber. Bitter melon has been used as a treatment for diabetes, gastrointestinal complaints, some cancers and viral infections. It most recently has been tried as a treatment against HIV (administered most often by enema). Little information about efficacy or proper use is available. (09 Oct 1997) |
| bitter peptides | Peptides that have a bitter taste and may spoil certain foods; often contain high proportions of leucyl, valyl, and aromatic amino acid residues. (05 Mar 2000) |
| bitter principles | A class of plant substances with a bitter taste that produce a reflexive increase in saliva secretion as well as secretion of digestive juices. (05 Mar 2000) |
| bitter tonic | A tonic of bitter taste, such as quinine, gentian, quassia, etc., which acts chiefly by stimulating the appetite and improving digestion. (05 Mar 2000) |
| bitter water | A natural mineral water containing Epsom salt. (05 Mar 2000) |
| oil of bitter almond | Volatile oil from the dried ripe kernels of bitter almonds or from other kernels containing amygdalin, such as apricots, peaches, plums and cherries; obtained by steam distillation subsequent to maceration of the source with water. Formerly used as an antipruritic; poisonous-releases hydrocyanic acid (hydrogen cyanide). Only the oil free of hydrogen cyanide may be used to flavor liquors and foods. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acridine orange | <chemical, molecular biology> 3, 6-bis(dimethylamino)acridinium chloride. A toxic, fluorescing dye that stains DNA and RNA and is typically used to identify cancerous tumour cells. When it binds to double-stranded DNA, it fluoresces green, when it binds with the phosphate groups of single-stranded DNA or RNA, it fluoresces orange. The chemical also causes frameshift mutations. (12 Mar 1998) |
| Agent Orange | An herbicide and defoliant, consisting of (2,4,5-trichlorophenoxy)acetic acid, (2,4-dichlorophenoxy)acetic acid, and dioxin, that was widely used in the Vietnam War; it has been shown to possess residual post-exposure carcinogenic and teratogenic properties in humans. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Victoria orange | An alkaline salt of dinitrocresol; a reddish yellow stain formerly used in histology. (05 Mar 2000) |
| peau d'orange | A swollen pitted skin surface overlying carcinoma of the breast in which there is both stromal infiltration and lymphatic obstruction with oedema. Origin: Fr. Orange peel (05 Mar 2000) |
| methyl orange | C14H14N3O3SNa;a weakly acid dye used as a pH indicator (red at 3.2, yellow at 4.4). Synonym: helianthine. (05 Mar 2000) |
| sea orange | <zoology> A large American holothurian (Lophothuria Fabricii) having a bright orange convex body covered with finely granulated scales. Its expanded tentacles are bright red. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| orange | 1. <botany> The fruit of a tree of the genus Citrus (Citrus Aurantium). It is usually round, and consists of pulpy carpels, commonly ten in number, inclosed in a leathery rind, which is easily separable, and is reddish yellow when ripe. There are numerous varieties of oranges; as, the bitter orange, which is supposed to be the original stock; the navel orange, which has the rudiment of a second orange imbedded in the top of the fruit; the blood orange, with a reddish juice; and the horned orange, in which the carpels are partly separated. 2. <botany> The tree that bears oranges; the orange tree. 3. The colour of an orange; reddish yellow. 4. <zoology> Mock orange, any species of scale insects which infests orange trees; especially, the purple scale (Mytilaspis citricola), the long scale (Mytilaspis Gloveri), and the red scale (Aspidiotus Aurantii). Origin: F.; cf. It. Arancia, arancio, LL. Arangia, Sp. Naranjia, Pg. Laranja; all fr. Ar. Naranj, Per. Naranj, narang; cf. Skr. Naranga orange tree. The o- in F. Orange is due to confusion with or gold, L. Aurum, because the orange resembles gold in colour. (06 Mar 1998) |
| orange G | An azo dye, C16H10N2O7S2Na2, used as a cytoplasmic stain in histologic techniques. (05 Mar 2000) |