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Glite Dictionary
hypericin

hypericin

1 9.9
A red substance in the St John's wort plant used in medical research
  • noun
  • /haɪˈpɛrɪsɪn/
  • Specialized
: hipericina
  • The hypericin content in St. John's wort has been studied extensively.
  • 0.3% hypericin
  • hypericin as the active
  • hypericin extract

Examples

  • Many supplements for mental health include hypericin, which is derived from St. John's wort.

  • Researchers have isolated hypericin for its potential health benefits.

  • Scientists extracted hypericin from St. John's wort for use in laboratory experiments.

  • The antiviral properties of hypericin are being investigated in several clinical studies.

  • Researchers measured the concentration of hypericin in different plant samples.

  • Researchers have found that hypericin can improve mood and reduce symptoms of depression in clinical studies.

  • In scientific research, hypericin is frequently used as a marker to study the effects of St. John's wort.

Surface Forms

hypericin singular
hypericins plural

Etymology

Hypericin is named after the plant Hypericum, the scientific name for St. John's wort. The plant name comes from Greek parts hyper- 'above', as in hyperactive, and eikon 'image' because people once hung the plant above pictures for protection. So hypericin is the chemical 'from that plant' and the name helps you remember it is the red pigment found in St. John's wort.