Dicoumarol
Dicoumarol
Dicoumarol (pronunciation: /daɪˈkuːmərɒl/) is a naturally occurring anticoagulant that functions as a functional vitamin K antagonist.
Etymology
The term "Dicoumarol" is derived from the compound's structure, which consists of two coumarin molecules (hence "di-coumarol").
Definition
Dicoumarol is a compound that is found in spoiled sweet clover hay. It is a vitamin K antagonist, which means it prevents the action of vitamin K, a vitamin that is necessary for blood clotting. This makes dicoumarol an effective anticoagulant, or blood thinner.
Usage
Dicoumarol was first discovered when it was found to be the cause of a bleeding disease in cattle that had eaten spoiled sweet clover hay. Today, it is used in medicine to prevent blood clots in patients with certain conditions, such as atrial fibrillation or deep vein thrombosis.
Related Terms
See Also
- Warfarin: A synthetic derivative of dicoumarol, used as an anticoagulant in medicine.
- Coumarin: A fragrant organic compound in the benzopyrone chemical class, which also includes dicoumarol.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Dicoumarol
- Wikipedia's article - Dicoumarol
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski