Bitter Principle (Noun)
Meaning
Any one of several hundred compounds having a bitter taste; not admitting of chemical classification.
Classification
Nouns denoting substances.
Examples
- The bitterness of some medications is often due to a bitter principle, making them unpalatable to many patients.
- Some herbs used in cooking have bitter principles that enhance the overall flavor of the dish.
- In plants like dandelion, a bitter principle helps deter predators and prevent overconsumption.
- Chemists isolate and analyze the bitter principle present in plants like quinine, leading to medicinal discoveries.
- Pharmacologists investigate bitter principles as a source for new potential medications with specific biological properties.