curare

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

curare
    n 1: a toxic alkaloid found in certain tropical South American
         trees that is a powerful relaxant for striated muscles;
         "curare acts by blocking cholinergic transmission at the
         myoneural junction" [syn: {tubocurarine}, {curare}]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Curare \Cu*ra"re\ Curari \Cu*ra"ri\(k?-r?"r?), n. [Native name.
   Cf. {Wourall}.]
   A black resinoid extract prepared by the South American
   Indians from the bark of several species of {Strychnos}
   ({Strychnos toxifera}, etc.). It sometimes has little effect
   when taken internally, but is quickly fatal when introduced
   into the blood, and used by the Indians as an arrow poison.
   [Written also {urari}, {woorali}, {woorari}, etc.]
   [1913 Webster]