| tocolytic | A drug that relaxes smooth muscles and therefore interferes with uterine contractions, frequently used to stop premature labour. Origin: Gr. Lysis = dissolution (09 Oct 1997) |
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| tocolytic agent | A medication that can inhibit labour, slow down or halt the contractions of the uterus. Tocolytic agents are widely used today to treat premature labour and permit pregnancy to procede and so permit the foetus to gain in size and maturity before being born. (12 Dec 1998) |
| tocolytic agents | Drugs that prevent preterm labour and immature birth by suppressing uterine contractions. Agents used to delay premature uterine activity include magnesium sulfate, beta-mimetics, oxytocin antagonists, calcium channel inhibitors, and adrenergic beta-receptor agonists. The use of intravenous alcohol as a tocolytic is now obsolete. (12 Dec 1998) |
| tocometer | An instrument for measuring the force of uterine contractions. Synonym: tocometer. Origin: toco-+ G. Dynamis, force, + metron, measure (05 Mar 2000) |
| tocopherol | 1. Name given to vitamin E by its discoverer, but now a generic term for vitamin E and compounds chemically related to it, with or without biological activity; similar in chemical structure and properties to vitamins K and coenzyme Q. 2. A methylated tocol or methylated tocotrienol. Mixed tocopherols concentrate, a source of vitamin E, obtained by vacuum distillation of edible vegetable oils or their by-products. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tocopherol cyclase | <enzyme> Catalyses cyclization of phytyl-hydroquinone to gamma-tocopherol; isolated from the blue-green alga anabaena variabilis Registry number: EC 5.4.99.- (26 Jun 1999) |
| tocopherolquinone | An oxidised tocopherol, formed from the isomeric 2-methyl-2-phytyl-6-chromenol with methyl groups in one or more of positions 5,7, and 8, by migration of H atom from 6-OH to C-4, which yields a 1,4-benzoquinone. Abbreviated TQ and preceded by alpha-, beta-, etc., as in the tocopherols, to indicate degree of methylation. Synonym: tocopherylquinone. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tocopherols | Functions as an antioxidant, binds oxygen free radicals that can cause tissue damage, may also play a protective role in the coronary arteries from the damaging effects of cholesterol. (27 Sep 1997) |
| tocopherylquinone | An oxidised tocopherol, formed from the isomeric 2-methyl-2-phytyl-6-chromenol with methyl groups in one or more of positions 5,7, and 8, by migration of H atom from 6-OH to C-4, which yields a 1,4-benzoquinone. Abbreviated TQ and preceded by alpha-, beta-, etc., as in the tocopherols, to indicate degree of methylation. Synonym: tocopherylquinone. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tocophobia | <psychology> Fear of childbirth. (12 Dec 1998) |
| tocoquinone | Class name for the 2,3,5-trimethyl-6-multiprenyl-1,4-benzoquinones. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tocororo | <zoology> A cuban trogon (Priotelus temnurus) having a serrated bill and a tail concave at the end. Origin: Probably from the native name through the Spanish: cf. Sp. Tocororo. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| tocotrienol | A tocol with three double bonds in the side chain, i.e., with three additional double bonds in the phytyl chain, thus a 6-(3',7',11',15'-tetramethyl-2',6',10',14'-hexadecatetraenyl)-1,4-hydroquinone or a 2-methyl-2-(4,8,12-trimethyltrideca-3,7,11-trienyl)chroman-6-ol. The natural products carry methyls at one or more of positions 5, 7, and 8 of the chromanol and are thus identical, except for the unsaturation in the phytyl-like side chain, to the tocopherols; also analogous is the cyclization to form a chromanol derivative and oxidation to form the tocotrienolquinones (or chromenols). Abbreviated T-n (hydroquinone form) or TQ-n (quinone form) and preceded by alpha-, beta-, etc., as in the tocopherols, to indicate degree of methylation (the n indicates the number of intact isoprene or prenyl units remaining in the chromanol or chromenol form). Tocotrienol terminology is used to indicate relationships to tocols and tocoenols (vitamin E-like), the chromanol terminology to indicate relationship to the isoprenoidal compounds of the vitamin K and coenzyme Q series. (05 Mar 2000) |
| tocotrienolquinone | A tocotrienol in which the hydroquinone has been oxidised to a quinone (the chromanol has become a chromenol); the tocotrienolquinone's carry a, b, g, and d prefixes in accordance with the degree of methylation, as do the tocotrienols. (05 Mar 2000) |
| TOCP | <abbreviation> Triorthocresyl phosphate. (05 Mar 2000) |