solanine

1 9.9

A poisonous chemical in some plants like potatoes and tomatoes

noun
/ˈsoʊləˌniːn/

Specialized

: solanina

In fact, potato breeders check potatoes to make sure they don't contain too much solanine; those with more than 20 milligrams of solanine per 100 grams are considered unfit to eat.
solanine, an alkaloid
toxic solanine

Examples

So specifically alkaloids or glycoalkaloids that include solanine, capsaicin or like with tobacco, nicotine.
Many wild potatoes, however, contain far greater concentrations of solanine.
Keep stored potatoes out of light to avoid the formation of solanine, a toxic alkaloid produced when potatoes turn green.

Antonyms

non-poisonous

1 2.5

Safe to eat, touch, or use

Surface Forms

solanine singular

solanines plural

Morphology

solanine = Solanum (opaque) = solan + ine

Formed from the botanical name Solanum plus the technical chemical suffix '-ine'; the plant-based root is not a productive English base for most learners, so the relation to a poisonous compound is not inferable.

Etymology

The word solanine comes from the plant name Solanum, the nightshade family that includes potatoes and tomatoes, and the ending -ine, a common chemical ending meaning 'substance'. So solanine is the 'substance from Solanum', which explains why it is the poisonous chemical found in green potatoes and other nightshades.